Also-Ran
by KlonoaDreams
Summary: You know you're off to a great start in the Pokemon world when you wake up in a weird forest filled with glowing shrooms, only to find yourself being fed mashed berries by Audino's goth gf, who then promptly protects you from Vibe Check the Pokemon. Welcome to the Galar Region. SI OC
1. Welcome to Galar!

A/N Noa, back at it again with that SI bullshit that all started because I did a blind Nuzlocke of _Pokémon Shield_ (which I have archived on my twitch channel—I eventually plan on moving it all to YouTube as soon as I find the energy to sit down and import the videos). Basically, it's why you won't be seeing me use certain Pokémon names just yet, so…try to get used to that.

Anyways, expect there to be memes and bunch of worldbuilding and headcanons, because I have a lot of stuff for Pokémon up my sleeves that I am especially _eager_ to put to use. Though, before that, let's get that disclaimer out of the way!

**Disclaimer for the whole story: I don't own the **_**Pokémon**_** franchise or anything related to it!**

I hope you guys have fun reading whatever wacky shenanigans come out of my brain!

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You know, there's something questionable about waking up on a pile of moss in some random forest. The moss was soft, damp, and actually glowing…much like the mushrooms growing out of the ground. They're so colorful, lighting up the dark woods with its luminescent, ethereal glow.

It's like something out of a _Studio Ghibli_ film, with trees that were especially verdant and lofty. The grass covering the ground was tall and thick, and the air was devoid of any industrial smells. It almost seemed too unreal, too…dreamlike.

_Is this a dream?_

I want to believe, because I know not of any forests that are near where I live. There are no roses, nor almonds—just trees and mushrooms.

"Deeee…" A strange creature appears from within the tall grass, carrying an armload of berries of varying colors and shapes. It was bipedal, with a rotund body and short, darkly colored fur with noticeable patches of white on its hands, feet, and torso. It had warm, brown eyes and weirdly-shaped horns coming out of its head that remind me somewhat of croissants.

There's an urge I have to freak out at the sight of it, but a pleasant scent wafts to my nose and all too suddenly, my eyes start to droop. My body grows lax and soon, I fall back asleep. When I wake up again, the strange creature is sitting in front of me, holding a spoon filled mashed berries to my face.

"Indeee," it cries out in a bell-like voice.

"Whaaa—?" My mouth barely opened a bit before the creature shoved the spoon into my mouth.

_It's feeding me?!_

The flavor was rather…strong, coming off sweet, sour, and even…spicy? What the hell?

_Gulp!_

I swallowed hard out of shock, regretting it almost instantly when my throat started hurting from the action. I coughed a few times, earning another spoonful of mashed berries in my mouth as soon as I was done.

"Deee…" the creature frowned, reaching to gently pat me on the head in an attempt to comfort me. Of course, that didn't seem to do me any favors, as it just caused my anxiety to spike.

_Where the hell am I?!_

_What is this thing?_

I wanna say that it looks like a Pokémon, but…_is_ it a Pokémon? Just how did I get here?

"Reeeemmmm!" Oh fuck, that doesn't sound good… There was a noise coming from the tall grass, which was just starting to rustle rather violently. Seconds passed before a sentient hat thing just straight up jumped out and tried to fucking slam its body into me.

"Deee!" Thankfully, that creature who was feeding me, jumped in to protect me…with some sort of barrier—is it magic?

_It looks like it, but…_

Thinking back on that Pokémon thought…would that be Protect?

_Am I really in the Pokémon world?_

If that's the case, then I don't recognize these two—except making the one that was trying to feed me. Although, not completely, it just reminds me of Audino, only if it was goth and a little rounder around the hips.

_Is this the elusive goth gf?_

That's all I can really think, because otherwise, it's not ringing any bells.

"Indee!" Except maybe it's cry—cuz it sounds similar to a ringing bell. Huh…how weird…

_There's that smell again._

Smells nice…like—_really_ nice. "Haaa…"

_I'm feeling sleepy again…_

"Haaaaa!" Oh fuck—the hat just started glowing! Rainbows were shining off its body as it slammed into Audino's goth gf, which…actually _hurt_ it.

_THUD!_

Ouch, that _gotta_ hurt…oh shit—it's going after me! "Aaahhhh!"

"Deeeeee!" Fortunately, for me, Audino's goth gf made a quick recovery as she got off the ground and blasted the sentient hat with a ball of black and purple energy with purple static crackling around it.

_BAM!_

That sent the sentient hat flying a few yards away from us, landing roughly in a tall, patch of grass. Moments passed, and the patch of grass remained still. I'm guessing Audino's goth gf managed to knock it out…though…are you okay?

"Dee?" Audino's goth gf tilted her head to the side. I'm not even sure if it's female, and I honestly don't want to assume…but at this point, I don't think it matters. If it turns out I'm wrong, then I'm wrong and I'll apologize for it. In the meantime, it's just me and her. "Deee."

She walked back to my side, patting me a few times on the head before going back to feeding me again. This time, I was a lot calmer, letting her continue to feed me. It was still weird, but after all that had happened…things could be worse. Like—so much worse.

_We could be getting attacked by a sentient hat._

Instead, we're just eating mashed up berries and…was I always this small?

_Did I shrink?_

I know I wasn't that tall for a person, but this is freaking _ridiculous_. My hands are so tiny, and my arms and legs…they're missing a few scars that were faint, but otherwise _there_. My skin tone seems to be a shade darker, though it's hard to say, with this lighting here.

_Let it be known that glowing shrooms aren't the best source of light._

They do their job in making sure I can see shit, but…other than that, that's it. The colors make it difficult to discern the colors of items…like whatever that weird creature thing is doing.

"Iiimppp!" It was sticking its tongue out at me, laughing like the little shit it was. That was when a similar-looking creature, with a darker color scheme and black hair just jumped in to pull the smaller creature away with an annoyed, "Mooorrrg."

_Interesting._

Signs keep pointing to Pokémon, but I can never be too sure… And honestly? I didn't get an official confirmation until a couple days later, when Audino's goth gf (who I've started referring to as Mami) took me to a small pond to clean up. That's when I caught sight of a pony-like creature with cloud-like, fluffy hair. It had a horn coming out of its head, like a unicorn, and was slowly making its way over to the water to take a drink.

_Is that supposed to be Ponyta?_

That's when it came back to me, like getting hit in the chest with a softball, only…not as painful. Although, my confusion did attract another of those sentient hat things, which Mami had to quickly dispatch of before it had a chance to attack me.

_So this is the Galar region…_

Were it not for that Galarian Ponyta, I would've likely remained in the dark until further notice. Thankfully, that is not the case, although…that still does raise a lot of questions, like…how in the _hell_ did I end up in the world of Pokémon?

_Doesn't stuff like this usually end up with me becoming a Pokémon?_

So much for _Mystery Dungeon_, but it's probably for the best. The last thing I need is to either leave behind my partner, or for my partner to leave me behind as soon as the main story is done. Like, fuuuuuck that—I ain't about that life.

_I'll cry._

Which is the last thing I should be doing in this forest that is filled with sentient hat Pokémon that are extremely likely to vibe check the hell out of you if you even show the faintest of strong emotions. How did I figure out that it was strong emotions?

Well, it all started after I bumped my head rather hard on a tree trunk and…yeah, Mami had to jump in again to save my ass. Speaking of Mami, she's pretty protective of me, which is…also strange, but I ain't about to look a gift horse in the mouth.

_Wouldn't that be a gift Ponyta in this world?_

Who knows… I honestly don't care, as all I really want to know is why I haven't seen any people around. Like…who the heck leaves a child unattended in a dark, spooky forest filled with glowing shrooms? Someone sure did, and I'm only fortunate that Mami picked me up, instead of ignoring me like most of this forest's inhabitants. She feeds me, keeps me safe, and also helps me clean up whenever I get dirty. She's like a mother to me, only…a bit more lenient than my actual mother.

My own mother wouldn't let me out of her sight when I was younger. Meanwhile, Mami gives me enough freedom to wander off on my own. She only steps in whenever it's time for her to feed me or when I've accidently set off Vibe Check the Pokémon. Other times also include whenever I get too aggressive in whatever fights I get with a pink-colored imp Pokémon.

_I think they're called Impidimp?_

I didn't pay much attention to _Sword _and_ Shield_ after a certain point, as I wanted to go in as blind as possible for whatever Nuzlocke challenge I was gonna force upon myself. I'm kinda regretting that now, but whatever—no point in crying over things I can't change. And as much as I wanted to complain, I don't think Vibe Check the Pokémon would appreciate that—especially since the little guy seems to have family that accompanies it. At one point, I saw a witchy-looking thing with a similar color scheme to Vibe Check the Pokémon, only…taller and more menacing. I saw that thing slap the utter shit out of some loud toy that one of the Impidimp brought into the woods with them.

_Holy fucking shit._

"Haaaaa." As soon as the toy was destroyed beyond recognition and permanently silenced, the Pokémon turned around, smiling a bit too sweetly at the sight of a tiny little hat thing that peered out of the tall grass.

"Naaaaa?" It was far smaller and quieter than any of the other Pokémon that shared its color scheme.

_Almost like a baby…_

The tall, witchy-looking Pokémon used the "hand" hanging from the tassel connected to its hat to pick up the tiny Pokémon off the ground. It whispered a few things to it before slowly floating off into the tall grass. A couple of the other hat Pokémon followed after it, leaving a couple of displeased Impidimp behind to quietly express their annoyance.

That didn't last long, since the Impidimp were interrupted by a Pokémon that I believed to be its evolution. It was the same, imp-like creature that was taller and possessed black hair. It gave the Impidimp a slight scare that stunned them into silence, before ushering them back into the tall grass as a loud cry called out to them.

_I'm guessing that's Mama…or Papa._

That same Pokémon came back to drop off a couple of things with Mami. There seemed to be some sort of understanding between the two of them, for the other Pokémon to act this way towards Mami. Mami seemed to appreciate it herself, from the way she was practically beaming. She gave the Pokémon a couple of pats on the head, which the Pokémon quickly shook off with its hair. It stuck its tongue out at Mami before going back into the tall grass.

Mami didn't seem at all offended, only laughing quietly behind her hand. She then turned her attention to me, her eyes glowing with some strange light before I was lifted off the ground with some weird, psychic energy.

_I'm guessing you're a psychic-type._

You'd think I'd get a clue in the past two weeks I've spent with her, but no… I'm _that_ dense.

_Better now than never, I guess._

Also, living in the woods wasn't as hyped up as adventure stories made them out to be, especially when you're fighting off Impidimp who refuse to leave you alone while you're doing your business. It's awkward, and fairly _embarrassing_—so I rather not talk much about _that_ fiasco.

Every few days or so, Mami would sit me down to brush out some of the tangles in my hair, using a brush that Pokémon with the black hair had brought her. It's quite the experience, since it can get a little painful. And when there's pain, there's emotions of distress, and with those emotions, you get Vibe Check the Pokémon coming in to give you a good thrashing. This time, their witchy mother made an appearance and gave me a death glare as it stared us down through the protective barrier Mami had set up.

_Ominous._

It stares menacingly at me, its hand softly patting its child's head when it let out a distressed cry. It freezes still when a soothing, aromatic scent wafted right by its nose. It blinks a few times before sighing, its body growing lax and its expression almost softening.

"Reeeene." She sounded a lot calmer now, her gaze turning away to look at the child by her side. Like its mother, the smaller hat Pokémon was as calm and even a bit affectionate, from the way it rubbed its head against Vibe Check the Pokémon, who no longer seemed interested in beating the utter shit out of me. A couple of minutes passed and soon, the three Pokémon were making their way back into the tall grass.

By then, I had also calmed down considerably, almost falling asleep as soon as Mami was done brushing my hair.

_I guess it's nap time…_

You know, it'd be nice to say that the only thing that happened to me was that I shrunk down, but it's more than that. I was a child again, around the age of maybe three or four—it's hard to tell, since this body isn't exactly mine. How do I know that?

Well, it all started when I finally got a good look at my reflection, thanks to a compact mirror I wrestled off an Impidimp—you can get a lot of good stuff from them if you know when to go after them. Anyways, my hair was still the same dark-brown color and as thick as ever, so nothing's really changed in that department, aside from the lack of frizz.

_Dunno if I should be happy or sad about that…_

It's conflicting, but I think I can live with that. My skin was bit darker than how I remember it being in my baby pictures, and to add to that, my eyes were no longer the same shade of chocolate brown. In fact, they weren't even brown at all.

_That'd be too normal._

Instead of brown, they were purple. And not just any purple, but like a lavender color that almost seemed to glow. It's like something out of an anime, which…isn't that far off, considering the Pokémon world can let people have purple hair and yellow eyes that are completely natural.

_I'm looking at you, Leon._

Speaking of Leon…he should be Champion, right? Does that mean I get to face him one day? Wait…do I _want_ to challenge the Pokémon League?

_Hmmmm…_

I'll consider it, but like…I think I'm stuck here until I either get noticed or find a way out of this forest. And honestly? I don't think I'm getting out of here anytime soon, since most people tend to avoid going any deeper into the woods, no thanks to Impidimp line and Vibe Check the Pokémon. Any time I try to wander off too far from Mami, and she straight up uses Psychic on me to take me back to bed for the day.

I don't know about you but getting put to bed early just sucks when you barely have much to do, so I have long since given up on trying to find a way out of here. It's not like I'm in a bad place—I've never felt safer, despite the fact that I throw hands with a bunch of imp-like Pokémon on a weekly basis. The only real threat that exists is the sentient hat line, with their witchy mother, but Mami knows how to deal with them now.

Every once in a while, a Galarian Ponyta approaches me and lets me pet it, so that's also something. And once, I ran into this weird cup of tea that was a sentient ghost, so I can only assume that little thing probably evolves into a Polteageist.

_Oh my gosh, I want one!_

I wanted to befriend that sentient cup of tea, but the little rascal went on its way as soon as it saw an opening and I never saw it again.

_Dang._

A part of me wonders if it's purposely avoiding me…or if someone managed to catch the little guy. Either one would work, since most of the Pokémon in this forest associate me with Mami, who has made a name for herself from how often certain Pokémon would approach her for a challenge.

Like this one Oranguru that likes to test its wits against Mami in a battle. Oranguru might have the advantage in intelligence, but Mami likes to think outside the box, which puts the odds in her favor from time to time.

There's also a group of Passimian that pass through this part of the forest every so often, earning the slight ire of a certain witchy mother whenever they get too loud. Usually, that leads to Mami using what I believe to be Heal Pulse and whatever medicinal herbs she had collected with that Oranguru to help heal any injuries the Passimian might have sustained from that encounter.

I had fun with those Passimian—they taught me how to climb trees. It's a nice skill to have when you're chasing after Impidimp who have stolen your berries.

_I swear to god, I'm turning feral because of these guys._

At one point, I managed to lay the smack down on their older sibling after they tried pulling a prank on me. Not my proudest moment, as I only won because I kept tugging on their black hair. It felt completely unfair, but the Pokémon didn't seem to feel that way, from the way it flashed me a genuine smile devoid of any mischief. I got dogpiled by a bunch of Impidimp right after that, earning a couple of berries from them as some sort of reward.

_Huh._

I didn't think much about that encounter at first, until a few days later, when I finally caught a good glimpse of that Pokémon that would usually call out to the Impidimp and their older sibling. And let me just say, _holy shit_.

_Is that the Green Goblin?!_

It was tall, bulky, and covered in black hair, with sharp fangs protruding from its mouth. A bunch of Impidimp were sitting on its shoulders, with a few of them hanging off its arms. The Impidimp were chattering amongst themselves, one of them having the absolute _audacity_ to point at me.

"Imp imp!" it cried out, causing the taller Pokémon to focus their gaze on me.

"Grimmm…" Its voice was deep, and somewhat ominous, which only added more to its already intimidating appearance.

"Hhhhh…" I can only hope that this Pokémon wasn't anything like Vibe Check and their witchy mother.

_Mami?_

"Indeee." Mami was currently in the middle of picking some flowers, as calmly as she possibly could.

_Seriously?_

Welp…this is gonna suck. "Huh?"

"Grimmm!" that Pokémon spoke again, sounding a lot more affectionate as it reached down to pat me on the head.

_Excuse me?_

"Indee!" Mami let out a content cry as she offered the Pokémon the flowers she had finished picking. One of the Impidimp hopped off the Pokémon and scurried over to grab the flowers, which it quickly shared amongst its siblings as soon as it returned to them.

_That's adorable._

After seeing them act like a bunch of brats, it's hard to accept that they're also capable of acting just as cute as a bunch of Spritzee fledglings. Speaking of which, there they go—floating along with the wind.

"Spriii!" How cute…

_Gosh, they smell nice._

If the mother Aromatisse wasn't staring me down from a tree branch, I'd reach out to pet one of the Spritzee. Instead, I hold my ground as the Impidimp's older sibling jumps out of the tall grass to tackle me to the ground.

_You wanna go?!_

"Moooorg!" Oh shit, it learned a new move!

"Ahhhh!" That thing just chopped me in the throat! "Haaack!"

That threw me into a violent coughing fit, just loud enough to attract Vibe Check's witchy mother, who was about ready to obliterate me like she did with that loud-ass toy, but she stopped upon seeing the tall, bulky Pokémon with the Impidimp.

"Haaa…" Witchy mother seemed somewhat annoyed to see this Pokémon, while the Pokémon felt the complete opposite from how it just smiled at her.

"Snaaaaarl!" It moved closer to the witchy mother, reaching out to offer her one of the flowers that one of the Impidimp had finished giving to it.

The witchy mother stared at the flower that was being offered to her, her eyes narrowing as she hesitantly took the flower into her hand. "Reeeennn."

A content growl left the bulky Pokémon's mouth as it moved closer to the witchy mother. It gave her a slight nudge with its nose, earning a light tap to its head from the witchy mother.

_Are they friends?_

Uhhh, I think that might be an understatement, from how witchy mama was letting the bulkier Pokémon nuzzle her affectionately. Welp…I'm guessing that's Mama and Papa, then.

_Damn, that's a lot of kids._

Speaking of kids, there's Vibe Check about ready to beat the utter shit out of me… At least, that was the plan before the Impidimp's older sibling jumped in to Sucker Punch them into the tall grass. It let out a mischievous laugh after that as it stood its ground, completely unaffected by whatever psychic-type attack that Vibe Check threw at them.

"Reeeeemmmm." Vibe Check pouted angrily, staying absolutely still when that bulky Pokémon turned its attention away from the witchy mother. It reached down to pick up Vibe Check, holding it up in the air as it tried its best to appease its sour mood. Somehow, it worked. "Haaaa~!"

"Deee." Oh, hey, I guess it's naptime, because Mami just used Psychic to lift me off the ground.

"Byyye." I waved my hand at the Pokémon we left behind.

We didn't see them for like a whole week. After that, I caught sight of that bulky Pokémon carrying a bunch of pink-colored eggs in its arms. It seemed so happy, from the way it just stared at those eggs. The witchy mother stood near it, bringing it food every so often with some psychic energy.

Vibe Check and its siblings were playing a game with the Impidimp, which looked like a modified version of tag. Impidimp's older sibling tried to drag me into their game, but Mami stepped in to stop them.

"Moorg." It gave Mami an annoyed look before going on its way to catch one of its newly hatched siblings—yet another Imidimp.

_Is that one __**blue**__?_

Holy crap, I think that's a shiny…

"Deee." Alright, Mami—I'm listening. I'll go dunk myself in the pond if that's what'll make you happy…

I wasn't allowed to play with the Impidimp until a few weeks later, when all the eggs had hatched. Out of all of them, only one of them took after the mother—that being the witchy mother. Everyone else was an Impidimp.

_Interesting._

This is certainly throwing out everything I know about breeding in the Pokémon world. Then again, we have long since thrown out every possible game mechanic since this went from an actual game to reality.

"Imp imp!" Oh hi—you're new. "Diiii!"

And then that Impidimp proceeded to bite my hand with its sharp, tiny teeth.

_Yeah, well fuck you too._

I'm only lucky that this little thing was a baby, otherwise, that would've hurt. "Alright, get off."

I lightly flicked Impidimp's nose, earning myself a bout of Fake Tears. Not very effective, but damn, it's acting too cute…

"I'll move out of the way." I scooted over to the side, letting the little brat sit next to me on the soft, mossy ground. It curled up into a little ball and fell asleep, very much content with its soft bed. "Little brat."

I ended up falling asleep right after it, waking up with a bunch of sleeping Impidimp surrounding me. Mami was nearby, messing with a tattered hoodie that the Impidimp's older sibling brought her. She seemed to be patching up some of the serious tears in it, before finally offering it to me. I looked down at my clothes, which…weren't looking that good after all the roughhousing I've done these past…months?

_Ehhh?_

I honestly lost track of time of how long I've been in this forest. Time really flies when you're just spending most of the day sleeping and eating. It's not that bad, but that's probably because it's Pokémon, dammit—I'm still so fucking hyped to be around these nifty little monsters. It's why I haven't exactly broken down just yet to the fact that I might never see my families and friends again.

That and Vibe Check is ready to slam me to the ground the instant I show any strong emotions. This is the calmest they've been around me, and I rather not ruin that with a sudden bout of the feels.

_We can't let anyone know we __**feel**__._

About a week later, the weather got a little chilly, so more often than not, I would wake up under a pile of sleeping Imidimp, with Mami nearby just working on making a new bed using the fluff she's been collecting from wandering Cottonee. As the days go by, the number of Impidimp I wake up to increases, while the bed that Mami makes grows larger to accommodate to our new guests.

By the end of the month (I _think_ it's been a month), Vibe Check and her siblings have joined us, as have their parents. Mami says nothing to this, as she is too busy finding ways to keep me clean while the water is too cold to bathe in. She manages after Oranguru teaches her how to heat up water using this fire-type move that Mami somehow knew. It was a combination of Mami's fire-type attack, Oranguru's psychic abilities, and a large wash basin that Impidimp's older sibling stole from somewhere to make this work. And that's how I ended up having bath time with a bunch of baby Impidimp who were too curious for their own good.

_Splash!_

"Impimpimpppp iiiiimp!" Hey, no splashing!

_Splash!_

"Alright, you asked for it!" And that's how bath time came to a quick end—with a huge splash that made all the Impidimp laugh as I realized my mistake far too late.

_Tis I, Booboo the Fool!_

Making the biggest mistakes around these little brats. I swear, these guys are enabling me…

"Spriii!" Oh hey, a Spritzee. "Spritzeee!"

The little fledgling was gliding downwards, making a soft landing in my somewhat damp hair. He let out a few chirps, moving around a bit before finally going still. A sweet scent followed his arrival, soothing whatever nerves I might've had. I yawned loudly, earning an annoyed, "Reeeennnn," from the witchy mother. That's as much of a warning as I'll ever get from her, so I should consider myself lucky that she wasn't in any mood to deck me into a tree or something.

"Deeee." Mami came up to wrap me in a fluffy blanket made out of Cottonee fluff. "Dee?"

"Neeeee." There was a Cottonee in that blanket, looking especially comfortable with its current location as it snuggled against the rest of the fluff surrounding it. It stayed still, even after Mami wrapped me with the blanket. In fact, the little Cottonee cooed as it pressed itself against me, finding my body warmth especially comfy.

Little by little, the other Impidimp joined me under the blanket, snuggling up against me with their surprisingly soft bodies. Feeling curious, I poked a somewhat chubby Impidimp in the stomach, earning a small squeak from them before getting bit on the finger.

_Yeah, I deserved that._

The days grew shorter, and the nights grew longer. It was hard to deny that it was winter at this point, especially when we received some visitors in the form of the Vanillite line, who came with the snowy weather and left as soon as it got warmer. I spent most of those days in cuddle piles with the Impidimp, a Cottonee, and a Spritzee that liked my hair.

I managed to befriend a Vanillite that had issues socializing with others from its pack. Why it had issues, it likely had to do with its pinkish coloration.

_Yet another shiny._

If only they were as common in my games as they are here… But let's just throw that salt away, because Sorbet needed help and I managed to help her out by earning her the respect of her pack by challenging her to a battle that she would most definitely win.

_So cold…_

I spent the next few days recovering from a nasty cold from that battle, but hey—at least Sorbet's doing better. Before she left, she gave me this weird block of ice that wouldn't melt.

_Never-Melt Ice…_

I don't know what I'm going to do with this, but I'm keeping it. I'll probably use it to cool off if it ever gets too hot… In the meantime, the Impidimp and their older sibling are having the time of their lives just playing a modified game of keep away with it. And what do I mean by modified?

"Aaaahh!" You son of a bitch—that was my _neck_!

Yeah, you basically run away from the one holding the Never-Melt Ice (basically, _keep away_ from them), otherwise you'll get touched with a very chilly block of ice. It does not feel good, and that earned the older sibling a light swat to the head from Mami.

"Deee." Mami wasn't in the best of moods after the initial panic she had upon seeing me all feverish and crap. Since then, she's been a lot more protective of me and while it's rather sweet of her, it's also rather annoying because there goes some of my freedom.

_There it goes, with the rest of the fucks I have to give._

"Phaaaa!" By the way, did you know there are Phantump in this forest? "Tuuuuuuump!"

Well, they're there—and it's kinda creepy, because these guys are basically the spirits of deceased children who got lost in the forest and possessed a tree stump… Well, that's how their Pokédex entry goes, but I don't think that applies to _all_ of them. Like this particular one—I think I saw it spawn out of the ground one day, in an area where I could've _sworn_ I saw a Trevenant…

Hard to say, when this forest is known for making those wandering within capable of seeing things that likely do not exist. You can blame the forest's local Shiinotic population—which isn't much, as far as I can see…compared to the Morelull, at least. Either way, you're better off not being on your lonesome, otherwise, you risk passing out and waking up feeling very, _very_ hungry.

_Basically, what happened to me last week._

Damn sentient shrooms, and their witchy fairy magic…

_Anyways!_

This particular Phantump is likely a baby, with a very protective Trevenant for a mother that was actually real and not an illusion. Trevenant, by the way, are very kind to the Pokémon inhabiting the forest they dwell within… Me, on the other hand…

"Treee…" I'm on thin fucking ice. Every time she so much as sees me, she starts making ominous growling noises.

_I ain't gonna cut down your trees._

I live here, dammit—why would I do that to my home?

_Home?_

I guess this is my home—it's all I've ever known, since waking up in this forest.

_This is my home!_

And these guys…these guys are my family! We might not all look the same, but…it's fine.

_This is fine!_

I'm okay with this, because…

Because…

Because…

Because…

I'm not alone.

…

…

…

* * *

A/N So like, I want everyone to know that I went into this fic with a plot in mind, only to get sidetracked by Impidimp and Hatenna lines, especially when it involves Hatterene and Grimmsnarl. I went into this fic with the hope I could get to the main plot by chapter two, only to get slammed with a bunch of Grimmsnarl/Hatterene feels that I wasn't expecting to have.

So here we are, with our currently nameless SI OC and their adoptive family of sorts. By the by, as a heads up, I'd recommend ignoring most game mechanics, especially if it involves breeding.

Also, keep your Sword and Shield salt to a minimum, because I honestly don't give a shit what people have to say about it for what it did. I say this now because I am absolutely _tired_ of the hate this game has been getting as a result of the crunch time it had to endure. I'm getting that off my chest as soon as possible, because I'm not ever talking about it again after this chapter.

I enjoyed Shield as much as I was hoping to enjoy it, regardless of the Nuzlocke challenge I forced upon myself. If I could, I'd restart my game so I could play it all over again, except I rather not, because I'd grown so attached to my Pokémon.

So instead, here I am, writing fanfic for a game I've only owned for like a couple of weeks. That's just how it be on this bitch of an earth and I only hope that you guys are willing to stick around for this wild ride.

This is all I have for now, so if you guys have any questions, feel free to ask in a review. Otherwise, don't be shy! I always crave that validation—it really does motivate me, yeah?

Until next time, everyone! KD out! XD


	2. Honey and Clover

It took time, but Phantump eventually grew comfortable around me…after a series of unfortunate events that led to me having my first ever encounter with a Swirlix.

_Welp…they're __**definitely**__ the Cotton Candy Pokémon for a reason._

It took me six days to wash off every fiber of Swirlix's sticky thread out of my hoodie. _Six fucking days_—all because I accidentally stumbled upon a sleeping Swirlix. I didn't mean to wake them up, but hey—accidents happen, and I just had the misfortune of finding out that it's _never_ a good idea to scare a Swirlix. I was only lucky that was my hoodie that took the brunt of the attack, otherwise…

I'd rather not think about how much worse that could've been, had that thread gotten in my hair. I spent like an hour struggling to remove the thread gluing my mouth shut. The only reason it didn't take any longer than that is because I found out Swirlix's thread is edible. Of course, the only reason I found out about that is because one of the Impidimp ran up to me and started licking my face.

The taste itself wasn't bad, but once that sugar high wore off, the crash was absolutely terrible, and I _hated_ it.

_Never again!_

And yet, it happened anyways, because Vlad is absolutely horrible at keeping his siblings away from any wandering Swirlix. So you know that sugar high? Yeah, imagine that, but on a bunch of baby Impidimp.

_Sweet mother of Mew, __**never**__ again!_

Speaking of Vlad, that's the name I decided to give the Impidimp's older sibling, since I still don't know his species exactly. All I know is that he's the middle stage between his younger siblings and his father. He took quickly to his name when he first heard it, shouting a few things I couldn't quite understand…but from the way he just threw his arms around me and almost squeezed the air out of me—I think he liked it.

_Understatement, but whatever._

Anyways, once Phantump opened up to me, I would often find it patting me on the head and interlacing flowers it had picked into my hair. "Phaaaa!"

"Why thank you!" I'm not sure if it can understand what I'm saying, but that won't stop me from trying. It earns me an absolutely delighted cry from Phantump before it moved in closer to tap me on the nose.

_Boop!_

I'm considering calling this little guy by that, but I'll give it a few days before doing anything about that. Don't want the little guy's mom to overreact. Speaking of which, Trevenant watches us from a distance, having long since let her guard down…

…

Somewhat—like, she still glares at me from time to time, but hey! At least she no longer growls at me, so _that's_ something! And and and and _aaaaaannd_…

"Veeeeennn." She's letting Phantump play with the Spritzee and Cottonee that hang around me! The Impidimp, however—she's still so cautious around them, that I doubt she'll be letting Phantump around them anytime soon.

And honestly? I wouldn't blame her—you interact with those Impidimp at your own discretion.

_If only I can listen to my own advice._

You'd think I'd learn, but it's hard to do so when you've pretty much been adopted by them. It took me days to realize that their father was treating me the same way he did his children. Even Vibe Check chilled the fuck out around me, giving me light slaps to the head whenever I got too emotional. Like yeah, I still get hit—but it doesn't hurt…so I consider that an improvement.

Their witchy mother, however, still gave me the stink-eye whenever I was being too loud…which is nothing out of the usual, so, hey—it could be worse.

_But it's not!_

And she was at least rather docile when she had another egg with her. Even Mami didn't keep me away from this one, like she did the others.

When the egg hatched, it was a beautiful baby hat—with hair the same shade of blue as its older siblings, and skin the same shade of pink, with some splotches of white decorating its "hat", which was actually more of a tail.

"Haaaaa." The child avoided me for the first few weeks of its life, usually peering out from the tall grass or moss-covered rocks whenever it thought I wasn't looking. "Teeeeen."

It kept its distance…until it stopped doing so, after realizing I wasn't that much of a threat. That's when it started shrieking at me, every so often, when it felt like playing a prank on me.

_Pretty sure that's Disarming Voice._

Oww, my ears. "You're definitely related to an Impidimp."

"Hahahahaha!" it actually laughed, finding my reaction rather amusing instead of annoying.

Once, while I was taking a nap, I woke up to the little guy and found them nestled in my hair, which has been getting pretty long. Every so often, I'd feel it using its psychic energy to play with my hair, which usually ended up with my hair being parted similarly to its witchy mother's hair. Its witchy mother, by the way, is mostly just a Pokémon with long, blue and pink hair. Its actual body is far smaller than it appears at first glance.

Like a little gray alien, dressed in long, _looooong_ hair.

_Reminds me of Bayonetta._

And Bayonetta is a witch, so…

_Guess I'm calling you Bayonetta, then, ahahaha._

Ahh, I miss my Blaziken…

_That Emerald Nuzlocke was a fucking riot._

I lost so many Mons to Maxie's Crobat…I still can't believe Bayonetta was the sole survivor of that encounter.

_I wonder if I'll ever get the chance to raise a Torchic…_

It's certainly something worth thinking about, as Vibe Check takes her shot at brushing my hair.

"Reeeeem!" Oh hey, she's actually happy for once. "Hahaaaaaa!"

Vibe Check managed to pull my hair into two pigtails, similar to the ones she and her sisters seemed to have. She patted me on the head afterwards, with her tiny hands, before hopping off to go greet her witchy mother, Bayonetta.

Phantump likes to tug on my pigtails from time to time, eventually getting this idea to start putting in flowers when I'm not paying attention. Impidimp and Vlad liked to tug on them as well, but they're more…mischievous about it.

_I've got my eye on you…_

They were acting a little weird today, from the way they kept laughing behind their hands. They usually do that whenever something's about to happen, which…happened soon enough.

Turns out that the reason they were acting so mischievous is because Trevenant was sneaking up on me. She popped out of seemingly nowhere in order to bury me under a pile of flowers that she had been picking with her child. It was surprising at first, and I had some difficulty finding a reasonable way to react to it, considering that I didn't want to piss of Vibe Check and her sisters.

_Hello?_

But I quickly threw that train of thought aside when I felt something hard within the flowers. I poked at it a few times, earning an eerie cry from Phantump as they popped their head out of the pile. They stared at me for a few seconds before smiling.

"You good, Boop?" Might as well try it now.

"Phaaaaaaaa?" Boop titled their head to the side before nodding their head quite vigorously. Seems they liked their new name… "Phan-phaaaan!"

Boop was now quite eager to show me the strange stone they were holding in their hands. They held it out, motioning at me to take it.

"For me?" I asked.

Boop nodded their head. "Phaaaaaaaaa~!"

"Aww, you shouldn't have!" Like really, you shouldn't have… I don't know what I'm going to do with this, but I guess looking won't hurt.

The stone itself was as red as the evening sun, managing to somehow resemble it as well. The surface was somewhat bumpy, and its core almost seemed to glow…

_I feel like I've seen this before…_

"Cottoneeee!" The Cottonee reacted almost instantly upon seeing the stone in my hand, quickly floating over to it and touching it with one of its leaves. "Cot-coooottt!"

A bright light enveloped its body, nearly blinding me with its brightness.

"Ahhh!" I shielded my eyes, barely making out Cottonee's silhouette through the bright light.

Slowly, its body began to morph, taking on a completely different shape. The leaves around the sides of its face moved upwards, curving inwards like a pair of horns. Its cotton fluff swelled up in size, into that of a fully bloomed ball of cotton.

Once the light died down, I was able to see what had become of Cottonee.

"Whimsiiii!" it cried out.

Cottonee had evolved into a Whimsicott. It seems that the stone that Boop had given me was a Sun Stone.

_So this is how Pokémon look when they evolve…_

It's strange, but…also quite breathtaking.

"Whiiiiims!" Whimsicott moved closer towards me, hugging me with its newly formed arms.

"Tuuuuuu." Boop pouted, not having expected things to escalate in this direction.

"Thanks anyways!" I reached out and patted its head.

"Phaaaaan!" Boop smiled again, feeling much better now that it knew I was happy.

"Spriiii!" Spritzee glided downwards, landing comfortably on my head. He ran his beak through his feathers, meticulously plucking out a few of them that he quickly attached into my hair. "Zeeeee!"

"Aww, you shouldn't have!" Man, everyone's just being so nice today!

One of the Impidimp even scurried up to me to put a necklace on me. It was a strange necklace, one that I suspected they stole…but I didn't really care about that.

_It's free accessories._

Dangling from the necklace was a gold coin that reminded me of the little amulet that I would see on Meowth and Persian. I'm pretty sure that this is an amulet coin…

_Yeah, it's definitely stolen._

Oh well, it's mine now! I don't intend on giving it back, since it seems to be a birthday gift of sorts to me. Apparently, it's been more than a year since Mami found me and she wanted to do something to commemorate that day, so…here we are.

I guess that makes me a year older…cool beans.

_Not like it'll change anything._

The previous owner of this item is shit out of luck if they think they're getting this back.

_They can certainly try._

And so they fucking did! Yeah, that amulet coin brought in a somewhat seasoned Pokémon Trainer into the forest in their attempts to retrieve their stolen item. So after about a year of living in the Pokémon world, I _finally_ made my first contact with a human and…

"Holy fuckin' Arceus!" the young man swore.

Yeah, it could've gone better, but I was in the middle of wrestling some Impidimp, so…that dude can fuck right off.

Dante (the name I've started using to refer to that bulky Pokémon) seemed to think similarly, from the way he lifted me off the ground and slung me over his shoulder as he walked away, leaving behind his many children to distract the Trainer. He took me deeper into the forest, where he set me down next to Vlad before walking off to chat with Mami.

I turned to Vlad, who quickly shoved a berry into my mouth.

_Guess it must be lunchtime._

It certainly seems like it, from the way one of the tiny hat Pokémon walked over to Vlad and opened its mouth like a baby bird waiting to be fed. Vlad cracked open a berry and placed one of the halves into the Pokémon's mouth, making sure that it wouldn't be able to choke as it started chewing its food.

The days that followed after were…quite interesting, to say the least. Apparently, that Trainer seemed to have told others about my presence in the forest, as it just led to a bunch of random adults trying to approach me from time to time. Each time they tried to get near me, something always interrupted them.

In one case, I got thrown from one Passimian to another. It was…honestly fun. I couldn't help but laugh as I was passed around like a ball.

That was probably the most harmless encounter I've had, because right after that, my dumb ass tripped a trap that had me hanging in midair within a net. It was…quite the experience, and I'd rather not go through it again.

_Why?_

Well, apart from it being rather embarrassing to be found in such a vulnerable position, it also pissed off Trevenant. And the last thing you ever want to do is piss off a Trevanent on their home turf.

So another group of people were sent in to search for the first group that had gone missing. Thankfully, they were found—or so Mami has tried to tell me.

_I'll try to talk Trevenant later—just in case…_

At one point, I tried to approach the people myself, but…Bayonetta interrupted that encounter, still far too suspicious of humans to take her chances. I mean, these guys aren't really doing themselves any favors by setting up traps for me.

Like yeah, I'm not getting hurt or anything, but the fact that they've set up traps in the first place is what's pissing off Bayonetta and the others. So I'm not allowed out of their sight anymore.

_Oh well, I guess I'll have to wait until they've calmed down…_

So I've since stopped trying to make any contact. Instead, I go back to playing with Vibe Check and her sisters. Vlad now makes sure to keep a close eye on our surroundings, with his Impidimp younger brothers usually signaling us to leave. At one point, Spritzee had his mother Aromatisse just straight up make it impossible for anyone to get close, with how positively _foul_ she smelled. Spritzee had to shield us from the smell by producing a scent of his own that was pleasant enough to override the one his mother was emitting.

Whimsicott likes to cover me and the others in cotton, always laughing to itself whenever Mami shows up to scold it for the mess it's made. She didn't stay mad for long, since I ended up passing out on the soft, fluffy cotton. It was nice and warm, that I couldn't help myself. Even Vibe Check and Vlad moved in closer to snuggle up with me, with the rest of their siblings soon joining us.

It's nice…

_Reaaaallly nice._

After about a month, Mami and the others managed to calm down. It was enough for them to not pay much attention to the Togekiss that drifted into view. Though, it was a Togekiss, so I doubted that anyone would suspect one of having any ill intentions.

_These things don't like strife, after all._

"Kiiiiiii!" The Togekiss landed on a pile made of cotton fluff, humming to itself as it carefully approached me. It tilted its head to the side, paying close attention to how the others reacted to it. Once it was sure that it wouldn't cause any conflict, it moved even closer to me. "Toooooogeeee."

The Togekiss let out a few chirps before wrapping its wings around me in an embrace. Its feathers were absolutely soft to the touch, making me feel so warm and fuzzy inside.

"Deee!" Mami seemed to appreciate the Togekiss's presence, from the way she was absolutely beaming at it.

"Geki!" Togekiss chirped.

Even now, it's still weird, knowing that Togekiss is a bird, when you're still so used to seeing Togepi and _only_ Togepi.

_Oh fuck, I never evolved my Togetic in SoulSilver!_

Welp…that's gonna be bugging me for years to come. Although, in my defense, I didn't have a Shiny Stone…so at least there's that.

_As far as my shitty memory goes, anyways…_

Not that I care, because a _Togekiss is freaking hugging me_! It's only now sinking in and I am absolutely _ecstatic_ to be in the presence of this big, fluffy bird. I buried my face into Togekiss's feathers, earning a couple of satisfied chirps from them. I stifled a squeal that wanted to leave my mouth when Togekiss started nuzzling its face against mine.

_Is this a dream?_

_If it is, please don't wake me up…_

And then I woke up, having passed out without any warning.

_Dammit!_

Thankfully, it wasn't a dream—though, it did take until tomorrow afternoon to figure that out when Togekiss returned to us. This time, Togekiss brought a basket of goodies with them. Vlad made sure that I at least had a chance to get a good look at what was inside before his younger brothers started pilfering the basket's contents.

"Kiii…" Togekiss looked nervously at the Impidimp and then at me.

"It's fine." They'll share with me eventually…unfortunately, in the case of one of the little guys shoving a half-eaten berry into my mouth. Such a messy eater…

_But cute, too._

Honestly, the only thing gross about that was the leftover berry mush on the Imidimp's hand. You…honestly get used to everything else after living around them as long as I have. Though, in this case, the only reason any of the Impidimp went up to me was because they needed me to open the jars of honey that were inside the basket.

As soon as the jars were open, holy crap—tha's a _lot_ of messy eaters. So many of them would shove honey-covered hands into each other's mouths. Let it be known that Impidimp are very social creatures, despite their love for mischief. Of course, that only seems to apply to those who have familial ties of any sorts to them. Speaking of which, here comes Vlad and— "Mmph!"

_Gulp!_

Oh you little sneak! "Bleh…"

"Mooorg!" Vlad laughed to himself as he shoved his hand into the jar again to scoop a bit of honey onto his fingers. He fed some of the honey to a tiny hat Pokémon, earning a couple of delighted cries from them. He repeated this action with a few other Impidimp before finally finishing off the jar himself.

A couple of Spritzee perched on my shoulder, looking expectantly at me after I opened yet another jar of honey. Normally, I'm not that much of a fan of honey. If I eat too much, I start to get sick of it and yet, this honey…it's far different from any I've ever eaten. I can actually keep eating this, if I wanted to…but I don't, because everyone else is keen on sharing and I'd feel like an absolute jerk if I kept this jar to myself.

Even Whimsicott was joining in on the fun, rubbing its cheek against mine as I ate some honey.

_Honey…_

"Honey." I poured a dollop of honey into the Whimsicott's mouth. "That's you."

Honey's eyes sparkled in joy as it swallowed the honey in its mouth. I expected it to ask for more, but instead, Honey wrapped its tiny arms around my waist and made a lot of cute noises as it settled comfortably in my lap.

I was about to eat another scoop of honey when Mami popped up and shoved a glass bottle of milk into my mouth.

_Where did you—oh, right…the basket._

You know, the concept of milk and honey was never my thing, but now…I think I can totally get behind it. There's something so refreshing about this milk, that I end up chugging the entire bottle within seconds.

_Is this Moomoo Milk?_

It probably is, since that exists in the Pokémon World. Though, I can only wonder where this Togekiss got all of this from… I doubt a wild Pokémon can come across these things so easily, considering how eager the Impidimp are to come to me for help when opening the containers.

"Do you belong to someone?" I turned my attention to Togekiss, who had remained close by, its attention still focused mainly on me.

"Toooo?" Togekiss gave me a questioning look before hopping away to help a Spritzee who had gotten honey all over its feathers.

"I see how it is." For the time being, I'll just assume that yes, Togekiss does belong to someone. I don't know who, but they at least seem concerned about my wellbeing to give me gifts of honey and Moomoo milk. Then again, maybe they're trying to gain the trust of the inhabitants of this forest?

_It might work if they keep it up._

"Open your mouth, Honey!" Whether or not it works, only time will tell. For now, I'm just content to keep feeding Honey like a baby bird.

"Haaa!" Oh, you want some too?

I somewhat ignored the fact that I just got shrieked at by a little hat Pokémon. At this point, I just realized that this was their way of grabbing my attention. They don't exactly do it with anyone else, and while they do laugh at my reaction from time to time, they don't have malicious intentions. The little hat Pokémon moved away from Vlad, deciding that they wanted me to feed them instead. They opened their mouth like they usually did when they wanted what you were eating. Although, in this case, it seems that they wanted what I was drinking.

"Mami!" I called out to Mami, hoping that there was another bottle of Moomoo milk that I could share with this one.

Thankfully, there was, and as soon as the little hat got what they wanted, they hopped away…though, not without giving me another shriek. Unlike the times before, their shrieks were a bit more subdued.

_You're welcome, I guess._

When Togekiss left that evening, they took the empty basket with them. They only accepted the empty jars and bottles, somewhat forcing me to keep what was still full. I still have no idea just what was going on through their head, but from the way they returned the next day with yet another basket full of goodies, I could tell that they and whoever they were connected to meant no harm to us in any way.

It's to be expected from anyone who owns a Togekiss, but even so…sometimes, you can't help but be a _little_ cautious.

That's how I ended up having to help Boop and their mother out one day, just weeks after the Togekiss started bringing us gifts. It happened late in the evening, while I was asleep with Honey, Spritzee, and some of the Impidimp. We all woke up to the sound of some ominous, distressed crying. And while it isn't exactly out of the norm to hear that shit, when you have a bunch of Phantump inhabiting the forest, with a few other ghost Pokémon, like that sentient tea-cup, this time…

This time…

_It's different._

It took me a bit to recognize who it was coming from, as I was still trying to wake up. But once I was fully conscious, I could tell that it was coming from Boop's mother. It's what she usually did whenever she was calling out for Boop to turn in for the evening. But as I mentioned before, this was different.

_Why?_

Because Boop's mother sounded far too distressed for comfort. I've never heard her sound this stressed out, like…like something _bad_ happened.

"Whimsiiii…" Honey frowned as she wrapped herself tightly around my arm. I tried to calm her with a few reassuring pats, but she was too upset for it to work.

"Are you worried about Boop's mother?" I wouldn't be surprised, considering what Boop's mother means to the Pokémon living in this forest. She is kind to them and protects their home from anyone who dares to bring harm to it. Amongst the other Trevenant, she is their leader, being the strongest out of all of them.

It's why she gave me such a hard time, despite how close I was to her child. It took her time to open up to me, which is when I finally caught glimpse of some of the scars she had on the back of her body. Scars that looked far different from what the other Trevenant had.

Pokémon fight—that's a fact. Sometimes, battles get intense, and that's fine—because Pokémon wear the scars they receive with pride. But the scars on Trevenant's body? Those weren't just from a simple Pokémon battle.

_Someone had tried to __**hurt**__ her._

Hearing her act this way…it's almost unheard of, that one can't help but feel concerned. That's probably why Honey is so distraught. Even Spritzee is acting up, from the way he's tugging at my hair.

"What do you want me to do?" I asked, not knowing what to expect from Spritzee. I didn't get much of a response, just a few concerned chirps here and there with each tug of my hair.

"Whimmmsss!" Honey tugged on my hand, urging me to get up.

"Okay, okay!" I know better than to go anywhere without Mami, but Mami isn't around…

_Strange…_

Considering how eager Mami is to help those around her, I have a feeling it might have to do with this situation. Vlad popped out of the bushes to keep his siblings in check while their parents were out. He said a few things to me, that I can only assume was some sort of warning from the way he wanted me to stay.

"Whiiiiimmm!" Honey, however, won me over with her tear-filled eyes.

"I won't be long." Sorry Vlad, but I can't ignore Honey—not when she's like this. "Lead the way, Spritzee."

Being a bird Pokémon that was capable of flight, Spritzee had the better advantage between all of us to locate whichever direction the noises were coming from. And while it is nighttime, the glow of the mushrooms is nothing to shrug off, especially to those inhabiting this forest.

We were certainly on the right path to locating Boop's mother, however…along the way, I stopped in my tracks, having heard something else. It sounded a lot more like a child crying. It was so quiet, that you almost couldn't hear it…

But I did…and soon, so did Honey and Spritzee. We had our initial goal of searching out Boop's mother, but now? We needed to know where these cries were coming from. It made Honey so anxious, that some of her fluff fell off from where I was petting her.

"It's okay, it's gonna be okay," I tried to tell her.

Except it wasn't…because when we finally arrived at the scene, it was quite clear that the cries, while sounding like that of a child, weren't coming from one, but rather, a Phantump. And it wasn't just any Phantump—oh no.

It was Boop…and they weren't having any fun—like at all, from the way they kept throwing up on the ground. They struggled to stay afloat, mostly hovering over the ground before finally collapsing. Their cries only grew louder after that, sounding like a mix between a terrified and hurt child.

_What happened?_

"Boop!" Holy shit, I need to take you to Mami _now_!

And I would have, had some asshole not spat out a disgusting ball of sludge in my direction.

"Skuuuuuuun." From out of the bushes, popped out a rather massive Skuntank.

_Aww man, not these guys!_

Okay…okay…I guess I'll have to make a run for it. God damn, it's just our luck that Boop ran into a Skuntank, which is, by far, the worst typing a Phantump could ever come across, considering the weakness to both Dark and Poison. Not helping is the fact that both Honey and Spritzee are weak to Skuntank as well.

_What fun._

And the fact that this is coming from a Skuntank…

_Man, this is really gonna stink._

I really wish I was joking, but I don't take chances with a skunk Pokémon that is known for having such a putrid stench. As if sensing my distress, Spritzee started releasing a rather sweet aroma to likely overpower any bad smells coming from Skuntank.

"Whimssss." Honey's eyes grew watery, but that didn't stop her from releasing a cloud of orange-colored spores in Skuntank's directions.

It happened so quickly, that Skuntank had no room to react, which was fortunate, from the way it looked like it was about ready to attack again. It breathed in the spores, its body growing increasingly still as it struggled to stay mobile.

_Paralysis hit—now's my chance!_

I ran in to grab Boop, hoping that they weren't too distressed to handle. I was expecting them to put up a struggle. Instead, Boop just buried their face into my chest and continued to cry. Their breathing was erratic, and their body was uncomfortably warm instead of cool.

"Shhh, shhh…" It's gonna be okay—I'll take you to Mami. She'll know what to do.

Hopefully, we can get to her quick enough, but from the way things were looking… There has to be something we could do in the meantime.

"Spriiii!" And Spritzee knew just what that was, from the way his scent took on a more visible appearance in the form of a blue-colored mist. It filled the area within seconds, soon coating our bodies.

Initially, I was confused…but then I noticed Boop's breathing was regulating itself, no longer sounding so erratic and strained. Little by little, their body grew colder and colder. Soon, it was back to that familiar temperature that reminded me strongly of moss-covered rocks.

"Phaaaa…" Slowly, Boop lifted their head, their eyes still filled with tears. They sniffed a few times, which was still rather worrying, but from the looks of things, they were at least doing better than before—physically, at the least. Emotionally?

Hoo boy, we're likely gonna deal with some lingering trauma that Boop's mother will _not_ be happy about!

_Good luck with that, Skuntank!_

Karma's a bitch and I ain't gonna be here to witness that, so I'll be taking my leave… "Ahhh!

_Bam!_

I held Boop closely to my chest as I narrowly avoided yet another ball of sludge that was thrown in my direction. I turned my attention to the Skuntank, who was no longer paralyzed, which was absolute bullshit…until I remembered.

_Oh right—Aromatherapy does that._

I'm assuming what Spritzee had used was Aromatherapy, otherwise, I'm calling shenanigans on a fucking Skuntank healing its own paralysis.

"You stop that—right now!" I know what I'm saying isn't going to help, but god dammit, I might as well _try_.

"Nice try—but Skuntank won't listen to just anyone." Hello? Who the fuck are you?

From out of the shadows, appeared a young man in their late teens. On looks alone, he wasn't anyone special, but from the way he acted, he sure believed he was.

"You think a mere child like you has what it takes to catch the Guardian of the Forest?" My dude, I have no idea what you're talking about. "Hold on—are you that weird wild child that everyone's going on about?"

Yeaahhhh, that might be me—what's it to ya? "You gonna take a pic?"

I've seen a few people certainly try, during their attempts to catch me.

"Oh man, I didn't think I'd run into you—this is definitely my lucky day. My reputation's going to soar if I take you back with me…" The young man is talking as though I'm not there, even though I can clearly hear him. "How about you come with me? I'll give you some candy."

_Oh hell no!_

"Fuck off!" Spritzee, call your fucking mom, we need to _scram_! "Honeyy!"

"Whimsicott!" Honey shook her body, releasing a large cloud of cotton that burst at the slightest of disturbances in the air, sending balls of cotton in random directions. It hit just about everything except us, which had been Honey's intent, from the way she kept her gaze on the young man and his Pokémon. The two were covered in thick, sticky cotton that almost held them in place.

While not as effective as String Shot (especially that of a Swirlix's), Cotton Spore did its thing in slowing down those afflicted with it. This should at least buy us some time to find the others…

Unfortunately, it didn't last too long, as that fucking Skuntank knew a fire-type move that set those balls of cotton aflame!

_Oh you son of a bitch—you better hope that this forest doesn't catch on fire!_

"Mamiiiiii!" I cried out for the one Pokémon I knew who to depend on, whenever things were getting too dodgy. I honestly don't know what I was expecting, seeing as I had no idea where she was, but…I just…_need_ her.

_Please…_

I wanted to cry, because of how terrifying it actually is to be chased like this. It's nothing like the games of tag I would play with the Impidimp. Sure, I never knew what to expect from them, but they at least meant well when it came to me.

This…this…

_I don't even know what he wants._

Whatever it is, it can't be any good—not when this fucker is responsible for hurting Boop. He's probably the reason why Boop's mother was so distraught.

_How long has Boop been missing?_

Long enough for their mother to notice… Meaning that Boop was likely suffering during that period of time.

"I won't let him hurt you again…" I can't—I just can't. Boop…Boop's too young for this. For a Pokémon battle that wasn't even fair to begin with…

_For a battle that wasn't even a battle…_

I managed to shake the man off our trail, having used my knowledge of the forest to my advantage. I might not know my way out, and I still have issues getting lost, but none of that matters when you're trying to throw off your pursuer.

_We're safe now._

I threw myself into a burrow, disturbing a group of sleeping Swirlix that almost sprayed us with their sticky thread. They stopped upon seeing that Boop was with us, their scent completely recognizable to those able to detect it.

"Please stay quiet—someone bad is trying to catch us." I know we haven't had the best of encounters, but at the very least, you can help us out this once.

"Swirrlll." It was a unanimous decision between the group, neither of them having any reason to turn us away.

The plan was to spend the rest of the night with the Swirlix. However, none of us had expected the forest to catch on fire.

The cotton that Honey had used on the Trainer and his Skuntank had proved especially flammable. It started out as a small fire that would have died down on its own, but a part of me just knew that it could never be that simple…

_He wouldn't…_

But he _did_. The Trainer had collected all of Honey's cotton and ordered his Skuntank to use Flamethrower, in an attempt to smoke us out of our hiding place. Of course, the man could not have predicted how easily the fire could spread until it was too late.

The fire burned brightly, dyeing the forest's natural lighting with an eerie red color. Smoke filled the air, making it hard for anyone to see or even breathe. Cries began to echo throughout the forest as its inhabitants all rushed towards the nearest source of water to avoid the flames.

Galarian Ponyta and Rapidash trampled through the foliage, whinnying loudly in their attempts to scare out sleeping Pokémon from their burrows. Passimian aided those who were too young or too old to keep up. Oranguru shielded the Cottonee from stray embers.

Honey, Boop, and Spritzee helped me pull out the Swirlix from their burrow. It wasn't that difficult, just that the younger ones needed help getting unstuck from each other's sticky thread.

As soon as we had that out of the way, we ran for it, heading in the direction that the other Pokémon were going.

Along the way, I stopped to help a couple of recently hatched Morelull that had issues uprooting themselves out of the ground. It was so easy to mistake them for the mushrooms growing out of the ground, but the nearby Shiinotic made that difficult to ignore. Neither of them complained when I accidentally removed some of their caps.

Boop tried to do the same after spotting another Morelull still trapped within the soil. Honey scurried up to a Shiinotic, helping them dig up an egg that had been buried.

Spritzee tried his best to invigorate us with his scent, in hopes that it would help us finish faster. It at least drowned out the horrid stench of smoke, making it somewhat easier to deal with.

We were covered in dirt by the time we helped the Shiinotic uproot the last of their children. It's through sheer luck alone that nearly all of the eggs that had been buried had already hatched. The Shiinotic handed what few eggs they had left to a nearby Passimian, who passed it over to an Oranguru.

I wiped the sweat off my brow, pausing for a moment when Spritzee landed on my shoulder to quickly give my cheek an affectionate nuzzle.

"I'm okay," I tell him, trying my best to reassure him through the chaos sending everyone into a panic.

_That's a lie._

My body won't stop shaking. My chest feels so tight. My heart is pounding so hard within my chest, that it feels like it's going to explode. Tears are welling up in my eyes, my throat feeling as though something had gotten stuck in it.

Another affectionate nuzzle is what pushes me to the edge as I start wailing at the top of my lungs.

Honey and Boop rushed to my side, the two trying to console me as Spritzee let out a few calming chirps.

I wanted to scream again, but I stopped myself. I wiped the tears out of my eyes, sniffing loudly as I tried to suppress the wave of emotions coursing through me.

_Not now._

_Not until we're safe._

If we don't leave now, we might end up getting trapped. I turned to leave, only to stop as I pushed Honey, Spritzee, and Boop out of the way.

"Watch out!" I screamed, just seconds before brown balls of gunk pelted my body. The force was strong enough to knock me off my feet.

_Thud!_

I landed roughly on the ground, shuddering violently as the gunk seeped through my clothes and covered my skin. Nausea bubbled in the pit of my stomach, my chest growing uncomfortably tight.

My vision swam when I tried to get up, the attempt pushing me into emptying the contents of my stomach.

"This wouldn't have happened did you'd just behave." The man looks at me with such disdain, darkly colored ooze dripping out from his Skuntank's mouth. "You weren't my target to begin with, so it's all on you for getting into this mess."

"Skuuunnn." His Pokémon almost seemed to agree with him.

"Asshole…" I choked out

"Just look what you're making me do." The man sighs, running his hand through his hair. "Oh well, at least people will think that you died in the fire."

_You, you, you…!_

"Why did you have to set everything on fire?!" You didnt have to, but you did. And now… and now…

_My home…!_

I started crying after that, unable to hold back anymore. My stomach wouldn't churning. My face felt so hot and each time I breathed, it hurt so much.

I wanted to hurt this man, for doing something so despicable, without even an ounce of regret.

I forced myself off the ground and with the last of my strength, I lunged at the man. I threw my arms around his leg and chomped down on his hand, my teeth sinking deeply into his flesh.

Predictably, he screamed. His other hand tangled itself roughly in my hair, pulling down hard enough to rip out a few strands. When I wouldn't let go of his hand despite the pain, he slammed his fist down on my cranium.

I blacked out for a moment, my body falling limp onto the ground. Slowly, I regained consciousness, my head still reeling from the attack. I could barely make out Spritzee's figure as he swooped at the man, using his beak and claws to attack.

A loud shriek made my ears ring, bringing my attention to a tiny hat Pokémon that had somehow tracked us down. Its loud, cacophonous scream caused the man to physically cringe. It left him wide open for at attack as Honey inhaled deeply, her body almost expanding. Then, without any warning, she exhaled, sending out a powerful cyclone that sent the man flying into a tree.

The man's Skuntank tried to fight back in an attempt to defend him, using another wave of Sludge Bomb that would've been super effective.

The attack never lands.

Psychic energy stops the attack in midair, the source of energy coming from the one Pokémon I was happy to see again.

"M-Mamiiiiii!" I cried out, the tears just splashing down my face.

Mami ran up to me, kneeling down to my level to check up on me. She placed a hand on my forehead, letting out a concerned cry upon noticing just how hot I was to the touch.

"Skuuuunnn!" The Skuntank readied another attack, wanting to take advantage of the moment. It had likely been thinking that Mami was too distracted to do anything else.

She might have…but that didn't stop Dante from jumping down from a tree, landing roughly on Skuntank as he beat the utter crap out of the skunk. Bayonetta soon followed afterwards, appearing out of the tall grass as she slowly floated over to the man. She stared down at him as he began to panic, blubbering out apologies for incurring the wrath of the Forest Witch.

I never had a chance to see what she had done to him. What little I was able to make out before I passed out was the vines that shot after the man and his Pokémon.

When I woke up, I was laying on a pile of medicinal herbs and leaves. Mami was at my side, looking at me with such concern as she gently patted my forehead.

"Mami?" I slurred out, still feeling so sluggish. I'm not sure how long I was out, but that didn't seem to matter. To the Pokémon that I've come to know and love—just seeing me awake was enough.

Dante was quick to call out his children, Bayonetta soon following suit as she brought in Vibe Check and her sisters. Dazed, I watched as they all gathered by my side, some of the Impidimp giving me a few flowers they picked. Vibe Check had to keep her youngest sibling from shrieking at me, though, that didn't stop the little hat Pokémon from crying out anyways.

It was her way of grabbing my attention, from the way she wanted me to pat her on the head. She nudged my hand a few times, only stopping once I finally gave her what she wanted. She hopped aside when Honey showed up, carrying balls of her fluff in her arms that she used to cover my body, in case I was cold.

Spritzee refused to leave my side as soon as he took his place back on my shoulder. He wanted to ensure that I was as close as possible to the healing aroma that his body was emitting. It was a precaution of sorts, after being poisoned and whatnot.

"Thanks, Clover," I told him, trying my hardest not to cry.

Clover the Spritzee tilted his head to the side, his eyes soon growing wide as he let out a few loud chirps out of gratitude. He flapped his wings, sending out a few feathers for me to catch.

"Phaaaaaa." Boop appeared out of the shadows, carrying a crown made out of flowers in their hands. Following after them, was their mother, who seemed a lot less ominous for once. There was something about her demeanor that almost seemed…approachable.

Gone was any distrust she had for me, no longer finding any reason to be so cautious around me. After what had happened, Trevenant had no more reason to look at me with such caution. In fact, she even smiled at me as she watched her child place the crown of flowers on my head.

The forest was miraculously still intact, thanks to the efforts of the Pokémon living in this forest. The air still smelled faintly of smoke, and most of the ground was covered in ash. It was a heartbreaking sight to witness…

But that did nothing to stop Honey from smiling so widely as she showed me the new plants that were growing underneath the ashes.

Oranguru and the Passimian were working together with Trevenant to clear up most of the debris. Morelull, Cottonee, and Shiinotic worked together to help the forest recover what it had lost, aiding in the growth of the plants and trees.

Within days, the forest was looking pretty green. It still had a long way to go, but it was certainly a start. By then, I had completely recovered from Skuntank's poison.

My head was still especially tender to the touch, as were the places that Sludge Bomb had hit me. It was around this time that Togekiss had finally showed up, carrying that same basket of goodies.

The difference between now and then was that this time, instead of just honey and milk, there was also a first-aid kit inside. Mami was all too eager to make use of it, showing me a side to her that made me realize that she had a lot more experience with humans than I initially thought.

I could only wonder about the past she had as she bandaged up some of the cuts I received while helping the others clean up. It's hard work, but I don't mind.

"Heya." I reached out to stroke Togekiss's feathers in an attempt to ease some of their concerns. I laughed as they wrapped their wings around me in an embrace. Despite all that has happened, we made it out safe…

Traumatized maybe, but safe.

And that's fine.

_This is fine._

It's not…but that's okay. For now, I feel fine…and that's what matters most.

…

…

…

* * *

A/N So like, I haven't yet specified just _when_ this story takes place. Yeah, I'd keep an eye on that from here on out, considering the events that occurred in this chapter.

Moving on, more worldbuilding in the form of the whole grass type Pokémon burying their eggs underneath soil. Pokémon also have an affinity for receiving nicknames, if you've been paying close attention in this chapter. There's the whole situation with Swirlix and the scars.

There's a lot more, but those are what's most notable. Anyways moving on, our still nameless OC has been spotted by people. Not…exactly the best course of action some people took, so now y'all gotta wait a lot longer for the little kiddo to leave the forest. You can't just test the trust of the forest Pokémon without expecting consequences.

It's why you have a Togekiss trying to build up rapport with them. Speaking of Togekiss, it should be obvious as to who this one belongs to. Anyways, I have gotten stupidly attached to Honey and Clover, in ways that I never expected. And I will die for Boop and the rest of the family. Like…holy shit, I love them so much.

There be some implications going on with Mami, and holy fuck, our OC could've died in this chapter! For anyone wanting to know, the asshole Trainer isn't meant to be anyone specific. He's just some random asshole that committed arson and attempted manslaughter. The forest is currently recovering, but it should make a full recovery with time.

Also I just wanna say, thank you so much for the reviews! I really appreciate it so much and SERIOUSLY, thank you for telling me about the profiles so I can make another save file for my game! I plan on doing that this month so I can pull off a modified egglocke of Shield. Until then, though, I have to get through a Platinum Nuzlocke, because I clearly have not learned my lesson.

Anyways, feel free to keep on reviewing! It has really kept me motivated and I also do crave that validation.

This is about it for now, so until next time everyone! KD out! XD


	3. Felicity

"_**It's been more than a week since the Glimwood Tangle was set ablaze. As a reminder, the Corviknight Taxi is always available to those wishing to travel to Ballonlea while the Glimwood Tangle recovers. It is highly advised to avoid the forest during this period of time, as its inhabitants will not hesitate to attack intruders that attempt to force their way through.**_

_**For those that are concerned, the Pokémon League Challenge will continue as scheduled. However, Chairman Rose has an announcement to make for all current challengers and future challengers. Stay tuned for further information—"**_

Opal tries her best to keep her composure after one of her Gym Trainers, Teresa, rushed to turn off the television. She keeps her posture as she brings her teacup to her lips. In the background, she can hear her secretary, Annette, talking on the phone, reluctantly turning down all help offered to them.

"This is a matter between the forest and its inhabitants," Annette explains to the person on the other line. "It is unwise for outsiders to interfere while relations are strained. What happened was an extreme violation of trust to the Pokémon of the Glimwood Tangle."

Opal reaches down to give her Mawile a few pats on the head, offering her the tea-stained spoon she had set down on a saucer. Mawile munches on the spoon within seconds, absolutely delighted with the treat she's received. Silver has always been her favorite metal…

"Opal, it's Chairman Rose," Annette tells her. "What should I tell him?"

"He may visit, but anything further than that is out of the question." Always eager to help, that man… "I'm willing to speak to him if he agrees to these terms."

Opal isn't at all concerned about a man known for raising Pokémon that are effective against hers. Rather, she worries about the woman that stands at his side, always so willing to do whatever it takes to further Rose's efforts.

"_I suppose I'll just have to keep a close eye on her."_ Nothing too difficult, though Opal is already up to her neck in legal matters regarding the ungrateful arsonist that set her precious forest on fire… That man is only fortunate that she is legally obliged to intervene on such serious matters, otherwise…

Otherwise…

Otherwise...

Opal would have let that man die at the hands of the Forest Guardian and her companions. Such a fitting end that would have been… Instead, he's locked up in a tiny cell while League officials decide what to do with him.

"_Oh well."_ It's at least comforting to know that Opal will never have to see that man in her Gym...or any Gym, for that matter. Once the papers go through, Challenger 619 will be removed from the Gym Challenge officially.

It's such a shame that the Glimwood Tangle had to suffer because one man decided that his fame was worth risking everything. What's worse is that Challenger 619's decision to catch the Guardian of the Forest wouldn't have gotten him anywhere, as no amount of force will convince that Pokémon to go into a Poké ball.

"_Such futile attempts."_ The man had been warned by many, and he still chose to ignore them. Truly, he had only himself to blame.

"Kiiii!" A smile crosses Opal's expression as she watches her Togekiss enter through the window.

"Hello Felicity." It's been a few hours since she sent Felicity out. As usual, she returns with a basket full of empty jars and bottles. "Such hungry children."

It pleases Opal to know that the child has been doing well, despite the horrid encounter with Challenger 619. Just knowing the harm that man had caused makes Opal's blood boil with rage. Not only had the man used his Pokémon to attack a child, but his actions had damaged the rapport she had managed to build with the Pokémon that had accepted the child as their own.

It's bad enough that people had been setting traps in an attempt to capture the child of Glimwood Tangle, but this incident has pushed her right back to the beginning again. Who knows how long this will take, now that the forest's inhabitants have had their trust broken. It could take weeks—months, even.

It could even take years to mend such a damaged bond. Opal is only fortunate that the Glimwood Tangle still sees her as a friend, though that doesn't stop the wild Pokémon from keeping her out of the forest.

The decision has been made, and until the forest fully recovers, no human is allowed anywhere near its premises. Chairman Rose has such a difficult time coming to terms with the fact that there wasn't anything he could do for the Glimwood Tangle.

"It's not your fault," Opal reassures him. "The Glimwood Tangle goes by its own rules. We must do our best to respect them, in hopes we can mend some of the damages caused by the fire."

"I understand, but I still can't help but feel responsible." Rose frowns.

"Surely, there's something we can do," Oleana speaks.

"There is something you can do…" Since the man is here… "I need you to do me a favor regarding the child that's been living in the Glimwood Tangle."

"Oh dear, are they okay?" Beads of sweat roll down the side of Rose's face.

"They're fine." Though, Opal has yet to see any trace of the child beyond the opened jars of honey and empty milk bottles that fill the basket Felicity had brought back. The last she's seen of them was whatever glimpse she managed to catch of them at the time she showed up to prevent Challenger 619 from dying a horrible death. The image of the child's unconscious body still haunts her memory, with the way their brown skin was tinted such a hideous shade of purple. "Seems they've kept their appetite, too. A good sign, if what Challenger 619 had to say was true about the poisoning being an accident."

"Is that child still in the forest?" Oleana asks.

"Yes." Opal was not allowed anywhere near the child, a female Indeedee keeping her at a distance, for fear that Grimmsnarl and Hatterene might turn their aggression towards her. It was for the best, considering the circumstances that caused such a horrible disaster. "They are…safe."

Incredibly safe, if Hatterene and Grimmsnarl had anything to say about the injuries that Challenger 619 and his Skuntank had sustained.

"That's a relief." Rose adjusts his tie and sighs. "What is it that you wish to ask of me, Miss Opal?"

"I just need you to prepare some paperwork for me." Opal has been thinking about it for quite some time. "As soon that child leaves the forest, I would like to adopt them."

"May I ask why?" Rose asks as his lips curve into a smile.

"Call it my responsibility as the Gym Leader of Ballonlea." Opal adjusts her hat. "It would be unwise to send that child back whence they came. Even now, don't you consider it strange that not a single person has filed a missing child report?"

"I have been trying to stay optimistic, but…yes, I do find it strange." Heartbreaking, even, Rose wants to add. "I keep a close eye on such reports, but…none of them have mentioned a child in the Glimwood Tangle."

"My investigations have turned up short, too," Oleana confesses. "The last missing child report that had been filed was about six months ago, when a child had gotten lost on his way home from a friend's home. He was later found on Route 1, sleeping with a few Wooloo."

Apparently, the child had issues with his own sense of direction, so it was nothing out of the usual for the people of Postwick. That still didn't stop the child's mother from sending in the report—just in case it was something serious. Thankfully, that had not been the case…

Though, the same cannot be said about the child of the Glimwood Tangle. And slowly, it is dawning on both Rose and Oleana that something is completely amiss.

"The signs are all there." Opal closes her eyes, taking a moment to clear most of the negative thoughts flooding her head. "You know them all too well."

For the briefest of moments, a look of disgust mars Oleana's pretty face. Soon after, she closes her eyes and takes in a deep, deep breath. She exhales slowly, trying her hardest to restrain the anger that makes her body shake.

"The orphanages are there for a reason," she states, her voice somewhat strained. "No matter the situation, all children are accepted. Without judgement or shame."

There should be no reason for a parent to abandon their own child in a forest. No reason that a child should be left completely on their own, instead of being left in the care of professionals. And yet, that is exactly what has happened to the child of the Glimwood Tangle.

"I never thought I'd see another child slip through the cracks…" Rose frowns.

"You did what you could do, Rose," Opal reassures him. "It's not your fault."

"But it's not enough," Rose argues.

"Maybe so, but look at the change you've brought to this region." Opal smiles at Rose. "In all my years that I have been alive, you are the one who has changed this region for the better."

Because Chairman Rose had reached out to those living in extreme poverty, instead of ignoring them as others have done in the past. He gave people the second chance they so desperately needed, instead of letting them waste away. He cared about the futures of the generations to come, instead of focusing on only the present.

Because of Chairman Rose, the Galar region can flourish.

"You have done more than enough, Rose," Opal says. "There are just some things you cannot control. The most you can do is try to lessen the frequency in which these incidents occur."

And Rose has accomplished just that, with the resources he's poured into Galar's orphanages.

"I…" Rose struggles to find his words. He adjusts his necktie and exhales, a smile soon forcing its way onto his lips. "Children…shouldn't have to face such serious hardships so early in their lives. Children should act like children, and adults should act like adults."

"That's how it should be." But Opal knows that not everyone believes that, from the way she's seen irresponsible adults force children to grow up far too fast. Some children are lucky. Others…not so much.

"I will do what I can to help you," Rose finally says, motioning at Oleana to make the call. "Just promise me that you will keep that child safe."

"You have nothing to worry about." Opal's lips curve into a smile. She already has her Togekiss keeping an eye on the child, and through the basket of goodies that she sends through Felicity, she can tell that the child is thriving.

As the days go by, Opal finds her Gym Trainers making their own contributions towards the basket full of goodies. Theodora and Annette offer up some of their children's old clothes, hoping that the child can find something that fits. Teresa knits a few blankets and scarves for the child to use whenever the weather is especially chilly.

"We don't know how much longer they'll stick around the forest, so it's best we take precautions, no?" Teresa reasons as she knits a pair of gloves.

It takes a few trips, but the child eventually finds a set a clothes that fit them. And in return, the child sends a gift full of berries and flowers.

Days turn into weeks, which soon turn into months. The Gym Challenge season comes to an end, with the Galar region's current Champion retaining her title for yet another year. It is around this time that Felicity starts taking more and more time to return.

Before long, it's been more than a month since she was last seen. One month soon turns into two, and the season begins again, with Chairman Rose giving his opening speech just shortly before the exhibition match.

Opal's Gym Trainers worry on her behalf, for being short one Pokémon for Gym Challengers to battle. She reassures them, showing them the Sylveon she's had in the backline in case of emergencies.

"It's been a while, but Felix should still hold up on his own." Opal reaches out to give her Sylveon a few scratches behind the ear. "Isn't that right, boy?"

"Sylvvv!" Felix cries out, his ribbons gently wrapping themselves around her wrist.

"Not even those old bones of yours will keep you from a good fight." Opal has always had her concerns, now that old age was catching up with some of her Pokémon. Felix, however, wasn't letting that stop him. "Let's make the most of these next few battles."

Soon, the stadium is full of people cheering on Opal and her challengers. As the battles commence, Felicity keeps her eye on the child and the mist that soon cloaks the entire forest.

The forest grows lively from the Cutiefly and Ribombee that come out to play in groups. A Sylveon finds her new home amongst the bunch, taking over a burrow that has long since been abandoned. A lone Eldegoss joins the fray, having arrived with the winds during an especially blustery day.

The child welcomes their new neighbors, sharing some of the food they've been collecting with the Hattrem and Impidimp. The rest of the food is used to feed the Spritzee and Swirlix that allow the Morelull to feed on their energy. Soon, the Ponyta and Rapidash trade places with the Spritzee and Swirlix. Once the Indeedee show up, the Shiinotic begin to feed and the Morelull go to sleep.

Deep in the Glimwood Tangle, there is a clearing where the soil is rich, and the sun shines its light brightly into the center. The Morelull choose this particular spot to rest, planting themselves firmly into the soil under the darkness of a new moon.

The Sylveon approaches the Morelull during the day, feeding on their caps that grow back by nightfall. Sometimes, it's the Impidimp that feed on the caps. Other times, it's the Spritzee and Ponyta. A few times, Morgrem collects the caps to feed his younger sisters and the child. It's an amusing experience, as he shoves a cap into the child's mouth without any warning, while taking extra care to feed his youngest sister, who is still growing.

By the end of the day, the child can be found, sleeping peacefully amongst a group of Hatenna and Hattrem while Morgrem watches over them and the Impidimp. It's just another day for Vlad and his family. Felicity watches them with half-lidded eyes, soon dozing off within the comforts of her nest.

As the days go by, the moon grows fuller. On one particular night, when the moon is half full, Togekiss leaves her nest to go comfort the child once it comes to their attention that someone has been missing this entire time. The child cries into Felicity's feathers, wailing apologies for taking so long to notice. Nearby, a Spritzee by the name of Clover comforts his younger sibling. The child had asked about the whereabouts involving their mother, which brought up far too many bittersweet memories for either of them to give an actual response.

A female Indeedee tends to a few distressed Hattrem who try their best to ignore the strong emotions coming from the child. For once, the Forest Witch ignores all the urges she has to silence the child. Though she prefers silence above all else, this time…

Just this time…

The Hatterene decides to return her mate's sudden affections, pressing her forehead against his. The Grimmsnarl sighs and closes his eyes, a wave of relief soon washing over him.

It was a miracle that the forest wasn't too badly damaged by the fire. Through the efforts of the Pokémon, the damages had been minimized. Despite this, however…there had still been some casualties. And those casualties have left an emotional scar on some.

A Hoothoot had lost its sibling. A Ponyta had lost its friend. A recently evolved Slurpuff had lost one of its Swirlix. And a few Morelull had hatched without parents.

In the case of Clover and his sister, their mother had breathed in too much smoke. It happened far too quickly, before anyone had a chance to react. In the midst of chaos, there was not much that could be done.

The child cries and cries, not knowing how else to react. It's a lot to take in, for someone so young. It's why Felicity lets the Sylveon approach the child, knowing fully well that she meant no harm to either of them.

"Veeee!" The Sylveon wraps her ribbon-like feelers around the child's arms, emitting a soothing aura that soon quells the child's crying. "Veevee!"

The Sylveon presses her body against the child, trying her best to replace some of the sadness with some happiness. She has only known the child for such a short amount of time, but the impression they've left on her was enough that she couldn't stand to see them crying any longer. She uses one of her feelers to wipe away the tears streaming down their cheeks.

It takes a while, but the child soon smiles. It's a bittersweet feeling, but it's far more manageable this way. Clover lands on the child's shoulder, affectionately running his beak through their hair. His sister soon joins them, the two trying their best to show the child that though their mother may be gone, they are still there.

Time passes, and the child learns to adjust. The Sylveon interacts more and more with the child, sometimes visiting them in the middle of the night to soothe some of the nightmares that tend to plague them from time to time.

She gets along greatly with the Impidimp and Hattrem. A few of the Hatenna avoid her, still so wary of the flood of emotions that emanate from her. It's not anything bad, but it confuses them that a single Pokémon can be so emotive.

As it turns out, the reason for it comes from the Sylveon's stomach. Throughout the days that have passed, her stomach has grown rounder and rounder. A curious Hatenna approaches the Sylveon as she naps out in the open one day, wanting to investigate while the amalgam of emotions are at rest. The Hatenna stares curiously at her stomach before letting out a startled shriek upon seeing movement coming from within.

From that moment on, the Sylveon finds herself at the center of most of the Impidimp's attention, quite a few of them approaching her to touch her stomach. They are surprisingly gentle, all due to their Morgrem older brother keeping a close eye on them. The Hatenna keep their distance, still so perturbed by it.

Just the sight alone makes the child laugh so happily as a Phantump takes their chances with investigating the strange phenomenon. It's not often that the young Pokémon of the Glimwood Tangle have encounters such as these that don't involve eggs. The closest they've had is when a Rapidash starts showing physical changes before going into hiding to avoid any unwanted encounters.

The Sylveon remains calm, as she senses no immediate danger. On a day that her stomach seems just about ready to burst, she returns to her burrow and remains there for the rest of the day. The next evening, on the night of a full moon, the Sylveon approaches the child as the other Pokémon start making their way deeper into the forest.

The Sylveon's body is noticeably slimmer, her eyes almost glimmering under the glow of the mushrooms. She wraps her feelers around the child's arm and leads them to her burrow, where the Sylveon shows off the litter of Eevee she had given birth to.

There are at least five of them, nestled so comfortably within Cottonee fluff. It takes the child a minute to notice the sixth Eevee, its lightly-colored fur almost blending in with the white fluff. The Sylveon seems especially proud, taking a moment to rub her forehead so affectionately against the child's hand.

Afterwards, Sylveon leads the child to the clearing where the rest of the Pokémon have gathered. They circle around the ring of Morelull planted firmly in the ground, their caps glowing brightly under the light of the full moon. The Shiinotic approach them, each taking extra care to uproot the Morelull as they finally awaken from their deep sleep. There is such a healthy glow coming from each of the Morelull, likely a result of the nutritious seeds that Eldegoss had scattered around them.

Even now, the Eldegoss lets more and more of their seeds scatter with the wind the Cottonee and a Whimsicott create. As that goes on, the Shiinotic each pick a tree to sustain under the helpful guidance of Trevenant.

The Ribombee begin to throw their pollen puffs into the air for the Impidimp and Hattrem to catch. The Morelull start to dance in a circular formation as a soothing green energy pulses from their bodies. It spreads across the ground, like ripples on the water's surface.

The Impidimp and Hattrem soon join them, each feeding on the pollen puffs given to them while the Morelull take their time draining their energy.

A luminescent light engulfs the trees from the energy that the Shiinotic share with them. A few of the Trevenant glow as they sink their roots into the ground, using their power to control the rate at which the trees grow.

Felicity lands in the center of the dancing Morelull, feeling absolutely at peace with the tranquil scene. She happily chirps at Clover as he lands by her side, Honey the Whimsicott soon doing the same. Clover's sister watches them from afar, her attention soon drifting over to the child and Sylveon.

She blinks a few times and then takes flight, landing right on top of the child's head. She blinks again when the child calls her by a name she's never heard before. Then it hits her.

"Acacia." That's her name—a name just like her brother's. Joy wells up in her chest as she lets out a few elated chirps. She hops off the child's shoulder, flying highly into the air as the sachet around her neck starts to glow. The sachet had been a gift from Felicity to Clover, who had decided that his sister deserved it more.

Under the light of the full moon, Acacia dances and dances. Soon, a blinding light envelops her body. Various cries come from the Pokémon in the vicinity as they watch her body take on a different form. When the light finally wanes, Acacia lets out a different call as a pleasant scent wafts from her body.

"Aroooooo!" She chirps happily, her brother flying over to congratulate her.

Acacia is not the only one that evolves that night. The number of Ribombee grows after a few Cutiefly have evolved. A Ponyta neighs loudly as she takes the same form as her mother, a Rapidash. A Sinistea moves into the chipped pot that a Noctowl had brought it, its form soon changing to accommodate its new home.

The Noctowl pats its wing on the Polteageist's teapot, earning a few content cries from its friend.

The Impidimp keep their forms, as do the Hattrem. It is not their time just yet. Maybe in another few years...or maybe not at all. The choice is entirely up to them.

Sylveon leads the child to Felicity, releasing her feelers from their arm. She nudges the child, who hops into the center of the ring. It is there that Honey gifts them a crown of flowers. As the child thanks Honey, Felicity smiles warmly as she puffs out her feathers.

With a shrill cry that echoes throughout the forest, Felicity wraps her wings around the child in an embrace. Soon, the other Pokémon cry out, finally letting go of the grief and sorrow that has been weighing their hearts down.

"Goodbye, Aster," the child says, finally giving the mother Aromatisse a name like her children.

"Spriiii!" Clover overhears it, spinning in midair a few times before landing on the child's shoulder. He pecks at their crown of flowers, plucking out a blossom that he lets the wind carry off.

The blossom rides with the wind, passing through the trees that glow with an ethereal light. It goes and goes, until it leaves the forest and enters the town of Ballonlea. There, it finds Opal, who watches the people of her home near the entrance of the forest. She grabs the blossom before it escapes her reach, smiling when she realizes its significance.

"Creeeeeem." Her Alcremie nudges her in the direction of the forest.

"Alright, Éclair—I'm going." Opal isn't at all surprised to find that she's been allowed inside the forest. A few Trevenant move to the side, allowing her access to go deeper into the Glimwood Tangle. She takes her time, allowing her Alcremie to follow her at her own pace.

Deeper and deeper, they go into the woods. The trees glow with a soothing green light that illuminates their path. From the ground, sprout mushrooms of various colors that glow, replacing the ones that had been lost in the fire. Little by little, Opal can see that the trees are regaining their vibrant color. She hears Éclair start humming to herself, knowing fully well what it is that she is trying to do.

"Are you going to Scarborough Fair? Parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme." Opal smiles when she hears her Alcremie sing along. "Remember me to one who lives there… They were once a true love of mine."

…

…

It takes time, but Opal eventually finds the clearing where the Pokémon have gathered. She keeps her distance, knowing better than to test her luck. Her Alcremie, however, takes her chances, as she has better luck interacting with the Pokémon that are around. Éclair happily cries out as she joins the Morelull in their dance.

Opal watches her Alcremie dance and dance. Éclair has always been one for the spotlight, whether it was in or out of battle. It's only natural, after all the years she had spent fighting at the Ballonlea Stadium.

"_Such a little diva." _Opal doesn't know what she'd do without her…

Éclair jumps up to greet a Cutiefly that has caught her attention. She laughs and laughs when the other Cutiefly start to surround her, unable to resist her sweet scent. She shares the cream she secretes from her hands with them, stopping only when she finally notices the child that's staring at her.

"Creeee!" she cries out, happy that she found the person that has caught her Trainer's attention. She holds out her hand to the child, offering some of her cream with them.

Opal observes the scene before her, relief washing over her when she sees how healthy the child appears. Their skin has such a healthy glow, instead of a sickly purple tint. Lavender-colored eyes shine under the light of the moon, almost sparkling with glee. The child laughs when Éclair suddenly jumps into their arms, covering the two in pink-colored cream that is both sweet and tart.

The Impidimp in the vicinity soon swarm the child, taking care not to cause them any harm as they eat up the cream that Éclair secretes from her hands. A Morgrem keeps his Hattrem sister from lashing out at the Alcremie, laughing just as loud as the child when the Hattrem decides to focus her attacks on him.

"_How peculiar." _Opal finds it interesting that the child's hairstyle resembles that of a Hattrem's.

"Kiiiii." A soft cry calls out to Opal.

Without even needing to turn her head, Opal reaches out to stroke the feathers of the Togekiss that now stands by her side.

"I've missed you, Felicity," she tells the Togekiss, earning a few affectionate chirps. "You've done a good job, girl."

"Kiii!" Felicity closes her eyes and smiles.

It honestly warms Opal's heart to see just how well the child has thrived during their stay within the Glimwood Tangle. Though she wishes to take the child back with her to Ballonlea, she knows better than to do so now. The female Indeedee that approaches her shows her that it's still far too early.

"I'm just here to check up on them—no need to worry," Opal reassures her.

"Deee." The Indeedee nods her head before making her way towards the child.

"What do you think of that one?" Opal asks her Togekiss as soon as the Indeedee is out of earshot.

"Kiiii." Felicity averts her gaze.

"I thought so." Opal adjusts her hat. "Will you be a dear and collect Éclair in the morning for me?"

"Toooge!" Felicity nods her head.

"Then I'll see you then." The last thing Opal wishes to do is overstay her welcome. So she takes her leave, keeping a close eye on her surroundings as she makes her way out of the Glimwood Tangle.

Come morning, the inhabitants of Ballonlea voice their surprise over how quickly the Glimwood Tangle has recovered. Opal says nothing, not even when Annette asks her about Éclair's whereabouts. Speaking of Éclair, she returns with Felicity in the afternoon, while Opal is preparing for yet another series of challenges from Trainers wishing to earn the Fairy Badge.

"What took you so long?" Opal asks, unable to keep herself from smiling as she watches her Alcremie decimate a slice of cake.

"Kiii." Felicity takes a moment to preen her feathers.

"Better late than never, I guess." Opal chuckles as she reaches out to pat Felicity's head.

"Kiii!" Felicity chirps.

Autumn soon turns to winter, and with winter, comes snow. There is one concern Opal has as she approaches the Indeedee that cares for the child of the Glimwood Tangle.

"I need you to ensure that they're wearing shoes." Even with the weather being as chilly as it is, the child still goes barefoot. At the very least, Opal is only fortunate that the child chooses to wear the gloves and scarf that Annette had knitted for them.

And yet, when Indeedee tries to convince the child to wear the pair of shoes, it lasts for only a couple of minutes before the child kicks them off.

"Feels weird!" they argue, likely as a result of being barefoot for so long.

Opal sighs inwardly, knowing fully well that this is going to take a while. Not helping is the Vanillish that goes up to the child to greet them. Their coloration is far different from the other Vanillish in its pack, though that doesn't keep them from socializing especially well with the others.

"Sorbet!" Ahh, it seems that the child recognizes them, from the way they embrace the ice-type Pokémon without any particular care in the world. Although, that would mean…

…

…

"_Ahh, so they've been here even longer."_ Opal knows not what to make of this information—that this child has been living in this forest far longer than just a few months. _"A few months?"_

The more Opal thinks about it, the more she realizes that it's almost been a year since the child was first discovered.

"_How long have they been here?"_ Long enough to befriend the pack of ice-type Pokémon that come and go with the snowy weather…since their last visit. Their last visit having occurred more than a year ago, which…does nothing to comfort Opal as she stares at the snow the child tramples upon with bare feet.

There is still so much about the child that remains a mystery. How long they've been around the forest, their age as of this year, and even their gender, because Opal isn't someone who makes assumptions—not after helping Annette out back before she was even Annette.

Thankfully, Opal manages to find a pair of footwear for the child to wear in the snowy weather. It takes the Indeedee some time to convince the child to keep wearing them, but she eventually gets through to them.

Though, come spring, the child ditches them as soon as the ground no longer makes them shudder from the cold. It's to be expected, though that still doesn't make Opal feel any less annoyed when the Indeedee comes to her to return the footwear.

"Keep them," she tells the Indeedee. "They belong to the child."

"Dee." The Indeedee nods her head and then bows like a maid, a typical trait of female Indeedee.

"Hmmm…" Now that Opal thinks about it, she's heard that child call the Indeedee by a name… _"Which one was it again?"_

It's hard to understand the child at times, with the incomprehensible way they talk at times. Though, sometimes, when Opal listens closely, she can hear the child speaking in an accent that is far different from any of the ones she's heard around Galar.

Opal continues to keep her distance. She watches the child play with a litter of Eevee that hop through the field of flowers. The Mother Sylveon watches nearby, yawning loudly before curling up to take a nap.

A Phantump picks some of the flowers, soon making a crown out of them for the child to wear. The child thanks them, calling them by the name that makes the Phantump cry out so happily. A Spritzee and a Whimsicott soon join them, initiating a game of tag that drags the Eevee into their fun.

Opal still sends her Togekiss to deliver a basket of goodies for the Impidimp and Hattrem that accompany the child. A few of the Hatenna start to get a little too curious, one of them nearly causing Opal to blow her cover. It was the youngest of the bunch, letting out a cacophonous scream that stops almost at once when Éclair throws a dollop of her cream into the Hatenna's mouth.

Thankfully, the child doesn't notice, as they're far too busy picking flowers with Phantump, Spritzee, and Whimsicott. However, the mother Hatterene does notice and stares Opal right in the eye after showing up to collect her Hatenna. She narrows her eyes at the Gym Leader, trying to figure out whether she trusts Opal or not.

It is a Grimmsnarl who makes the decision for her, having noticed that the scent clinging to Opal's clothes matches that of the Togekiss that brings them gifts. He turns to Hatterene, whispering a few things into her ear. Her eyes widen slightly, her expression going neutral as she nods her head.

"Haaa." It seems that the Hatterene no longer sees her as a threat…for the time being.

"_Quite the aggressive little lady, aren't we?"_ It's nothing out of the usual with Hatterene, though…this might be the first time that Opal's seen one with such a menacing aura at rest.

Meanwhile, the Grimmsnarl…is quite the attentive father, from the way he lifts his Hattena into the air.

"_Interesting."_ And those Hatenna, Hattrem, Impidimp, and Morgrem that are around the child… "Quite the busy couple, aren't you?"

"Grimmm." The Grimmsnarl nuzzles the Hatterene.

"Haaa." Hatterene looks to the side.

This is the first of their many meetings throughout the rest of the season, as the Gym Challenge comes to a close after an especially entertaining season. Little by little, the Hatterene starts to open up to Opal, though…she still looks at the Gym Leader with such a menacing expression.

And yet, when Opal comes across the family under the light of a full moon, just a week before the Champion Cup, she finds the Hatterene smiling sweetly at the child as they sing a song to the Pokémon that surround them.

"_You and I were born  
right here in the same world.  
For this one brief life,  
we're beneath the same sky._

_The great flow of time.  
The wide expanse of space.  
We are lucky enough  
to share this lifetime we get."_

Initially, Opal thinks that the child might be Kalosian, because of the song they sing. But then she notices that her accent is not like anyone from Kalos, a region not too far from Galar. It takes her some time to recognize it, but when she does, she frowns.

"Creee." Éclair wraps her arms around Opal's leg, in an attempt to cheer up her Trainer.

"It's fine." It's not—because this child is far from home. They shouldn't be here in Galar. _"Not like this."_

Oleana will not be happy to find out about this, neither will Chairman Rose. This is a lot more serious than it already is…

"_Who would abandon their child, this far from Unova?"_ Someone certainly did, otherwise, this child wouldn't be here. It's no wonder that the Pokémon of this forest are so protective of them…

"_In our brief lives,  
we've managed to meet.  
Treasure this gift,  
this precious time that we have."_

It takes Opal far too much effort to prevent Rose from making a scene once she tells him the news, just hours after the Champion Cup had commenced. They are only fortunate that Oleana is absent. Who knows what sort of fit she would have had, had she known that a child from Unovan had been abandoned in the Galar region?

"At least Kalos is closer to Galar than Unova," Opal says, her thoughts drifting over to the song that the child knows. "Not that that changes anything."

"Who's to say there wasn't an attempt in Kalos?" Rose slumps back in his seat, sighing as his attention shifts towards the battle being shown on the monitor in his office. "If not here, then there… The question I want to ask is why tell me now?"

"This is a matter that is best spoken in person, as soon as humanly possible." Opal lightly tugs down on her hat. "I would have told you earlier, under better circumstances, were it not for the Champion Cup."

"I see." Rose closes his eyes and sighs. "Well, then…thank you for your consideration on this…issue. I may need to get the International Police involved."

"Try to hold off until the child is out of the Glimwood Tangle," Opal suggests. "It'd be best if we keep them out of the spotlight from any curious eyes."

"You're right." Rose nods his head. "I suppose you have it all handled?"

"I do." It's only a matter of time, now. And it certainly helps that there is promise shown in this year's roster of Gym Challengers. "I wonder if our current Champion will finally meet her match this year…"

"I've been wondering that myself," Rose remarks. "As harsh as this sounds, that could take some attention away from the Glimwood Tangle."

And in the end, that's exactly what happens. After defending her title as Champion for three consecutive years, Champion Heather loses to a young lady by the name of Veronica, who won with her team of poison-type Pokémon. The Galar region celebrates, the name Veronica being passed down from person to person in conversations regarding the Champion Cup.

It's now been thirteen months since the child was first seen in the Glimwood Tangle. Opal goes to visit them as soon as her schedule is cleared of any remaining events. Unsurprisingly, she still sees a few youngsters trying to enter the Glimwood Tangle, only for Trevenant to keep them out. Those same youngsters watch with confusion as Opal enters the forest without any issues.

"It's not yet time," she tells them, tipping her hat at them as she smiles. She thanks the Trevenant as she walks by them, for being so gentle with the children.

Most of the Pokémon have moved on by now and are slowly opening up to the idea of finally allowing others to enter the Glimwood Tangle. The Glimwood Tangle itself has long since returned to its former glory, looking even more vibrant than ever. A swarm of Ribombee and Cutiefly have made this forest their new home, having arrived with the fog that had cloaked the forest with a strange mist during the autumn.

A Sylveon plays with her litter of Eevee, paying especially close attention to the Eevee with silver-colored fur. The family scampers around Opal's legs, the silver-furred Eevee stopping to greet her with a loud, "Eevui!"

"Hello to you, too." Opal laughs quietly to herself.

To the side, is an Eldegoss that leads a line of Gossifleur and a few Cottonee. A Cottonee soon joins the Eldegoss, giving the Cotton Bloom Pokémon a few affectionate nuzzles. Éclair waves at them, earning a couple of cries from the younger Cottonee.

Opal purposely ignores the Hatenna that follows after her, hiding behind moss-covered rocks whenever Éclair looks over her shoulder.

"Play along, Éclair." It's only fair, since she's certain that this is one of the child's adoptive siblings.

"Creeee." Éclair nods her head and looks ahead, barely paying any attention to what goes on behind her as the Hatenna stumbles around.

The Hatenna observes, still so curious as to the things that have changed around her. She stops only when a Morgrem shows up to retrieve her. He keeps his younger sister busy, knowing fully well that she would be the one who'd react so negatively to the decision their parents had made with that Indeedee.

"Dee." A female Indeedee bows respectfully towards Opal.

"Mami…wasn't it?" Opal is certain that that's the name she's heard the child use to refer to this particular Indeedee.

The Indeedee nods her head. "Indeed."

"A wonderful name!" To a Pokémon that hasn't been caught in a Poké ball, a name is what sets them apart from the others. It gives them a better sense of their identity, which, in this case, has been familial towards a child who had been abandoned by their parents. "Can you take me towards the child?"

It's a question worth asking, one that pays off when Mami nods her head and leads the way. Opal adjusts her hat, wondering just what makes this visit of hers different from the others. She finds out when she's allowed near the child, who sleeps on a pile of cotton fluff. A Phantump snuggles up against the child, who uses a sleeping Whimsicott as a pillow. A Spritzee nestles comfortably within the Whimsicott's fluff, letting out a few quiet chirps before going back to sleep.

Mami gestures at an arrangement of cotton fluff, which Éclair immediately covers in cream. The Indeedee barely reacts, collecting more fluff that's scattered around the area. She piles it up for Opal, so that she can sit down.

A few curious Impidimp peer out from the grass, their gazes glued onto Opal as she calls out quietly to them. She lets them play with her parasol when they grab it, deciding that she'll let them keep it if they choose to run off with it. A Hattrem hops down from a tree, moving in closer towards Opal to get a better look.

"Haaaa." Hattrem tilts her head to the side. She blinks a few times before letting out a soft cry when she's lifted up into the air by Grimmsnarl.

The Grimmsnarl smiles at his daughter. He throws her up into the air and catches her, repeating the actions a few times before Hatterene joins the scene. As usual, she fixates such a menacing look on Opal, who just smiles sweetly at her.

"Good afternoon," she says.

"Reeennne." Hatterene nods her head, her eyes almost narrowing into slits.

"I won't keep this child away from you, if that's what you're concerned about." The most Opal wants to do is give the child an actual roof to live under, where they can interact with children their own age and receive help for whatever trauma they likely received on the night of the fire.

"Haaa?" Hatterene blinks.

"This is your child, no?" Opal smiles as she looks at the child, who only buries their face deeper into Whimsicott's fluff. "Such a wonderful child…"

"Deedee," Mami speaks up, sounding somewhat annoyed.

"I'm not forgetting you," Opal reassures her. "You're part of this family too—you, Grimmsnarl, and Hatterene."

"Innnn." Mami holds her head up in pride, her demeanor appearing similar to that of a male Indeedee instead of a female.

"Although, I suppose you'd like to come along?" Opal isn't one to make assumptions, though she is aware of most female Indeedee having an attachment to the children they care for. Mami isn't any different, though…she definitely has her hesitance, likely from past experiences she has had. "I'm certain that the girls at the Gym would love to have you around—I guarantee that they'll be genuine about it."

Mami averts her gaze as she clasps her hands together. She thinks for a moment before looking up, her eyes filled with determination. "Dee."

She looks back on the childish voices she remembers hearing, the way her work was always criticized. The way she was always told to do it over and over again, without even so much as an ounce of gratitude. She closes her eyes and shakes away the bad memories. They still plague her mind from time to time, but it's so easy to replace those memories with the new ones she's made, during these past two years that she's spent caring for that child.

Opening her eyes, Mami lets out a soft, bell-like cry. "Deeeeeeeeeee."

And just like that, the child wakes up. And for the first time in thirteen months, Opal finally meets the child of the Glimwood Tangle. They appear to be around the age of four to five, with clothes that were starting to tear at the seams from how often they were worn. Despite their feminine-looking hairstyle and the flowers that are weaved into their hair, the child remains as androgynous as ever.

"Hello, dearie." Opal extends her hand out for the child. "My name is Opal…what is yours?"

The child blinks, still so shocked to see someone other than a Pokémon. Opal expects there to be some hesitance, but there is none when the child reaches out to take her hand to shake it.

"Dunno," they say. "Never thought of one."

Opal smiles wryly. "Never?"

"Nope." The child pauses for a moment, and then smiles. "But I know I'm not a boy!"

"Is that so?" Opal's attention drifts over to the Phantump that now stares at her from the child's lap.

"Whimmm." There's a growl that escapes the Whimsicott's mouth when she finally notices the stranger near the child, just moments after waking up from her nap.

"It's fine, Honey." The child reassures the Whimsicott a few with a few pats to the head.

"Scooottt." Honey closes her eyes, her tense body relaxing almost instantly.

"Spriiii?" Spritzee lands on Opal's shoulder, giving the older woman a slight shock that almost sets off the Hattrem in Grimmsnarl's arms. He stares at her, his beak lightly tapping her cheek.

"Quite the family you've got." Opal wishes she could laugh it off, but she can't—not while the child remains nameless. "Are you certain you don't have name? Not even one that you have in mind?"

The child blinks again, pausing for a moment to think. After a few minutes, there's a nod and then, "Brie…call me Brie!"

"Brie…" Opal repeats, a smile soon tugging at her lips. "That's a nice name for a girl."

The child, now named Brie, grins widely. "Thanks!"

And at the end of the day, Opal takes the child of Glimwood Tangle by the hand and leads her out of the forest. Mami follows after them, carrying Éclair in her arms. Most of the inhabitants of Ballonlea are fast asleep in their homes by the time the child takes her first step into the town. Upon arriving at the Ballonlea Stadium, Opal receives a harsh scolding from her secretary, who demands to know where she's been.

"You can't just leave without saying anything, Miss Op…al…" Annette trails off, having noticed the child that hides behind Opal. "Is…Is that…?"

"That's her." Opal smiles as she places a gentle hand on the child's head. "Say hello, child."

"H-Hello," Brie answers shyly.

Annette's anger melts away almost instantly as she struggles to maintain her composure. A few tears slide down her cheeks as she covers her mouth, far too emotional to say anything else as she goes to fetch Teresa and Theodora.

"Is she okay?" Brie asks Opal.

"Yes…just overwhelmed," Opal reassures her. "Are you hungry?"

_Growl._

"I'll take that as a yes." Opal laughs. "Follow me—I'll get you something to eat. Come along, Mami—you're invited, too."

"Deee." Mami nods her head, pausing only when Éclair shoves a dollop of her cream into the Indeedee's mouth.

The child laughs and laughs, and for a moment—just a single, brief moment—Opal can pretend that all is fine. That this child hadn't been abandoned by her own parents, in a region far from her own.

…

…

…

* * *

A/N I'M FREE! I'm ABSOLUTELY FREE, SO HAVE ANOTHER CHAPTER FULL OF MY HEADCANONS AND STUFF!

Sorry if this took a while, but my Platinum Nuzlocke has been a fucking mess, after I lost my beautiful Gardevoir, Dorothea, and the absolute legend of a Bibarel that has made her place on this team, JOHN CENA. So like, with that experience, and the fact that it's currently Christmas 3 in Fate/Grand Order (of which I have THREE NA accounts), and I have new 5* servants to level up because I ran out of Embers (I have an NP2 Abigail, Waver, and an Ereshkigal that has spited EVERYONE in my discord, including my gf, because she refused to show up for anyone else)…I've been quite busy, with farming.

On the bright side, I at least got a long chapter out! Also, please be kind and keep an eye out for any typos or mistakes, as I've been writing parts of this chapter out on a phone during my downtime at work.

ANYWAYS, I hope you like the name for our OC, because her name is a bit more personal as in that it's a small part of the name I use in real life (the one that isn't Noa). And just so you know, there have been hints and hints throughout the chapter involving WHEN exactly this fic takes place. Have you guys picked up on them yet? :3c

By the by, I should mention that your fellow writer is nonbinary and a panromantic asexual. Just what exactly does that mean? It means you shouldn't be surprised if you characters who walk similar paths of life as Annette (this is me confirming that yes, she's trans and is married Theodora). Don't think I haven't noticed that the Ballonlea Gym uniform has trans flag colors and sure, it might just be a coincidence…but that won't stop me from running with it, yeah?

If you're uncomfortable with that, then feel free to drop this fic, because I write what I want to write. By the by, as a heads up to anyone, if you wanna insult me and my work in a review, that's fine, but can we like—avoid using any racial slurs? Or any slurs, for that matter? Like, it's so fucking uncalled for?

Speaking of reviews, time for some shout-outs!

Reviewer #10: **Vangran**

Reviewer #11: **shukkets**

Reviewer #20: **trollypop**

Reviewer #22: **HamClad**

Honorable mentions: **OPFan37**, **lightningwarrior215**, **jack6042**, **Knockoutroundabout**, **niyuu**, **GobbaGo**

Thank you guys so much for taking the time to review! I'd say more, but I have to go with my mother to the doctor's to translate, so I hope you guys enjoy this chapter as much as the last one! As always, feel free to review because I always crave that validation! It does really help keep me motivated, yeah?

Until next time, everyone! KD out! XD


	4. Calm Before the Storm

I was given a bath as soon as I had finished eating. It was great, until Mami started scrubbing in the shampoo into my hair. That's when it came to my attention that I had a shit-ton of split ends, which made my hair tangle up so easily.

_Ouch._

The upside about being out of that forest is that I don't have to worry about pissing off Bayonetta anymore. Although, I feel that might've been a downside—only because I was starting to miss her already…her and the others.

_Wow, I have abandonment issues._

Either that, or I've reverted back to my overtly sensitive self. ADHD can be a pain in the ass with amplifying most of my emotions, which made me quite the crybaby as a child in my past life. Thankfully, I'm not crying…though, I did come close to it, when one of the older ladies accompanying Opal had brought a pair of scissors to my hair as soon as I got out of the bath.

"I'm sorry, sweetie—you just have so many nasty snares." I think she introduced herself as Teresa? Yeah, she's a pretty nice lady, just…my emotions are all over the place—it's not her fault. "I'll try to save as much of your hair as possible."

Mami pats me on the head afterwards, since my hair came out shorter than it previously was after Teresa was finished. "Deeee."

I rubbed my eyes, taking a moment to run my fingers through my hair. It was now softer than it's ever been before, likely as a result from the actual hair products I was able to use. No more having to wash out honey from my hair, thanks to a bunch of mischievous Impidimp playing with an open jar of honey.

…

It's only been a few hours, and already, I miss them. I know Opal said that I could still visit them, but I'm just…not used to being away from them like this. It feels…weird.

_Feels…empty._

"You okay, sweetie?" Teresa asks as she starts separating my hair into two pigtails.

"Mmyeah…" I guess I'm just tired. It's probably because of the bath and the clean clothes I was given to wear. It feels nice wearing something so clean…kinda big though, but whatever.

When Teresa brought me back to Opal, I ended up having a small reunion with a certain gift-giving Togekiss. The Togekiss was at Opal's side, chirping happily in reaction to the head-pats it was receiving.

"So that's your Trainer…" So those gifts… "They were from you?"

"From me and the girls, here." Opal smiled. "Anette and Theodora gave you the clothes you're wearing. Teresa made all those gloves and scarves you wore."

"Oh…" I suppose everything had to come from somewhere, but after all that time, it's still so wild, just knowing that hey—there they are. And they're especially nice old ladies, with a bunch of fairy-type Pokémon. "Are you a Gym Leader?"

"Why yes…yes, I am." Opal adjusted her hat. "I am the Gym Leader of Ballonlea—which is where we are now. The Glimwood Tangle is where you've been living in for quite some time. Tell me…do you know how long you've been there?"

"Uhhhh…" I honestly don't know. All I have is a faint idea, and beyond that, I don't find it especially reliable.

"Do you know how old you are?" Opal asked me.

"Five?" I made a face. I'm making a guess, because I know jack shit.

"Do you remember that man who set the forest on fire?" Opal's expression turns stern.

"Is he gone?" I hope that fucker paid for what he did… Clover and Acacia lost their mom… I still feel bad that it took me so long to realize that.

"He's…been put away," Opal reassured me with a somewhat ominous smile on her face.

_Creepy._

But also cool, since Opal reminds me of a witch. "Are you a witch?"

That question makes Opal laugh. "I have been referred to as The Wizard, so a witch…might not be too far from the truth."

_Cool!_

I honestly thought I was going to get on fine, but it started getting a little overwhelming when Teresa came back to get my measurements. Annette came along right after, talking on the phone with someone that required more and more of Opal's input. She gave my head a few affectionate pats before passing on the phone to Opal.

Theodora soon showed up with a plate full of brownies that she was quick to offer me.

"Eat as much as you like, just don't force yourself." Don't know why I'm being spoiled so much like this, but hey—it's free brownies!

_Don't mind if I do!_

I only managed to eat like two before Mami lightly swatted my hand when I attempted to grab another.

"Dee." Geez, alright—I won't eat any more.

I'll just sit here, consumed with yearning.

_Maybe if I just…_

"Dee!" Ouch, dammit, Mami!

"Hmmm…" Guess that's as much as I'll get for one evening…

"They're not going anywhere, sweetie." It's weird getting called that by a stranger, but…honestly, it could be worse. "Never mind."

Theodora was trying her hardest not to laugh at the Slurpuff that ate up the remaining plate of brownies.

"Cupcake—no!" Annette scolded the Slurpuff, who seemed far too pleased with her find.

"Whenever it involves sweets, it's always a matter of time before Cupcake finds them." Theodora shook her head, a smile tugging at the corners of her lips.

"Cupcaaaaake—you ruined your diet!" Annette wrapped her arms around the Slurpuff, burying her face into its soft fur. "You're supposed to only eat berries!"

I think Teresa must have noticed the confused look on my face, because she started giving me a detailed explanation about a Slurpuff's diet affecting its battle capabilities.

"You shouldn't worry too much—we got like four months to fix it anyways," Theodora reassures Annette. "Let the old girl have some fun."

"I'd let her, if she hadn't already eaten most of her weight in cheesecake." Annette puffed up her cheeks.

"You're just annoyed because those were _your_ cheesecakes she ate." Theodora hid a mischievous smile behind her hand.

"You wanna go?!" Annette took out a Poke Ball from her pocket. "I'm sure Violet'll appreciate the exercise!"

Theodora only cackled as she pulled out a Poké ball of her own. "You're on!"

"Are they okay?" I whispered to Teresa.

Teresa stifled a laugh. "Oh, they're just bored—don't mind them."

Except I did, because Theodora released a Pokémon that looked exactly like Vlad.

"Ohhh ohhh!" I pointed at the Pokémon. "Wha's that!"

"A Morgrem?" Theodora blinked. "His name is Moxie—he likes to fight."

Morgrem...so that's what Impidimp evolves into… "Heehee, Vlad's a Morgrem!"

Now his cries make too much sense..._wait_! I can learn more about the others!

"What about the hats?!" Holy shit, I need answers!

"Hats?" The ladies each had this perplexed look on their faces.

"I believe Brie is referring to the Hatenna," Opal finally joined the conversation, having ended the phone call. "Hatenna evolve into Hattrem, who eventually become Hatterene."

"Ohhh!" So that's what Vibe Check is! Omigosh, that name is too cute! "She's like a little witch!"

"Hatterene are referred to as the Forest Witch…" Annette furrowed her brow. "Why would you bring up such a dangerous Pokémon?"

"Because Brie's mother is a Hatterene." Opal smiled.

"Oh, ohhh uh...ohhh…" I don't think Teresa was happy to hear about that.

"Bayonetta gets all pissy if you're loud around her, but only Vibe Check has tried to attack me." I was trying to lighten the mood and take away any concerns from Teresa, but I probably could've worded that better.

"Dee." I'm sorry, Mami, but I thought I was helping!

"As reassuring as it is to know that you can speak so well, your language can use a bit more…pink." I dunno what that means, but I think that's Opal's way of saying I should watch my language.

Wanting to change the subject, I asked, "What does Morgrem evolve into?"

I eventually got my answer, but only after Opal did her best to calm the other ladies down. At one point, Annette had her arms wrapped around me in an embrace as she swung me around, wailing that I must have been so scared.

"I think you're scaring her more." You're not wrong, Theodora… Annette is kinda loud and that's _really_ setting off all my alarms—like **damn**.

Listen, I love my forest family, but being around them for two years really does something to you. Like, loud sounds make me too wary, and emotions?

_They exist?_

Yeah, they exist. Just stick around Mami or Vlad, and we're Gucci. Speaking of Mami… "Help?"

"Dee." What do you mean I'm on my own? "Indeeeedee."

Oh...okay. I guess...I have to do it myself. "C-C-Can you shut up?"

…

…

SHIT—THAT'S NOT WHAT I WANTED TO SAY! "I'm sorry! I didn't mean to—!"

Good going, Brie, you just told a sweet old lady to shut up… Who's somehow laughing?

_She's not mad?_

Even Theodora is laughing. "I think that Hatterene rubbed off on you!"

"I suppose we might have some habits to break." Opal sighed.

"Could be worse," Teresa remarked, still trying her hardest not to laugh. "We may need to teach her some manners, however."

"I think she just needs practice." Annette wiped away a tear. "Ohhh, I needed that. You're quite the sweetheart, Brie."

"Thanks?" I'm not...used to this.

"You're doing great, Brie," Opal reassured me.

_Man, why is everyone so nice?_

I paused for a moment to yawn. Geez, that was loud…

"Dee." Okay, Mami, I'll go to sleep...where?

"Annette, would you like to show our guest to her sleeping quarters?" Opal asked Annette.

"Gladly!" Annette smiled. "C'mon, Cupcake—you owe me for eating all of those brownies."

"Puff puuuuff!" Aww, look at the wittle creampuff go!

_Cupcake's best quality? Her wiggles._

I've only ever been around Swirlix, and the Swirlix that managed to evolve into a Slurpuff spent most of her time just sniffing around for berries to feed her children. So I rarely ever saw her.

_My girl was a cryptid._

I never used a Slurpuff in the games, but seeing them in real life like this? Dang, they're hecka cute.

_I should try using one._

Or I can live vicariously through Annette.

_I can definitely do that._

Now that I'm out of the forest, I'm really curious about the world around me. There's so much to see, and I've really only scratched the surface of the Galar region.

For now, let's wait and see what tomorrow brings.

…

…

Okay...okay...beds are super great. I forgot how much I've missed them. I mean Cottonee and Whimsicott fluff is soft, but an actual bed with blankets and pillows?

_Ahh, I wanna get Honey and Clover here!_

I had a hard time getting out of bed because I was _suuuper_ comfortable. Mami had to use her psychic energy to drag me out.

"I figured you were going to get up on your own, but I guess your Indeedee has it handled." Theodora was in the middle of eating an omelet when Mami brought me into the dining room—at least, what appeared to be a dining room. I still don't know the layout of this place.

_Also…_

"Indeedee?" I looked questioningly at Mami.

"Indeed." Ohhh, _that's_ what she is! That's cute!

_That's a really cute name!_

"Female Indeedee are good babysitters, though I suppose yours is more like a mother." Theodora smiled as she watched Mami sit me down into a chair. "Must be nice having two mums!"

"And a dad!" Can't forget Dante, because Dante is the reason why Bayonetta wasn't so hostile 24/7. "Why hasn't Moxie evolved?"

"He prefers to stay as a Morgrem," Theodora paused for a moment to take out a Poké Ball. "He was quite the trickster as an Impidimp, but he's toned down considerably since evolving. He's still rather naughty at times, but it's manageable…would you like to play with him after breakfast?"

"Sure!" I don't mind—bring that bad boy out!

"Dee." After breakfast, of course! Can't forget about that, because Mami sure won't let me.

Sooo… "How can you tell Mami is female?"

Theodora pauses mid-drink, setting her glass of orange juice down on the table. "Well…you know Unfeazant, right?"

"Uhhh…yeah?" Why that Pokémon specifically?

"It's like them," Theodora said as she twirled her finger in the air. "You can tell immediately by their looks. For Indeedee, females are a lot rounder than the males, with horns that point downwards and markings above the eyes instead of in between."

"Males…" I think I've seen a few of them in the forest. Although, instead of male or female, I thought it was more of a form change...like with Aegislash or Morpeko.

…

_Listen_, I might have mistaken a male Indeedee for Mami at one point in time, so_ excuuuuuse _**me** for coming to that conclusion.

_That definitely explains why Vlad was laughing so hard that day…_

Little shit knew something I didn't.

_Man, I hope he's doing okay._

The little guy has far too many siblings to take care of on his own… Not like it stops him. Vlad's dedicated to his position as the oldest brother of our family. Put a Pokémon egg near him and he'll do whatever he can to hatch it… That's just how he is.

"You know, your Indeedee is especially unique," Theodora's comment snapped me out of my thoughts.

"What do you mean?" I tilted my head to the side.

"A wild Indeedee wouldn't normally know how to care for a human," Theodora explained. "Not without the proper training, of course. Otherwise, they're going off your emotions alone, and that in itself can be quite the learning…curve…"

…

…

"She's not yours...is she?" Theodora asked me, her smile having left her face.

"She just…found me." To be honest, I don't even remember how she found me. I just woke up one day and BAM, I've transmigrated into the body of some random child in a completely different reality from my own.

_How long has Mami been caring for me?_

I don't know that either and I really don't feel like having an emotional breakdown so early into the morning, because it's starting to occur to me that there's a lot that I don't know about myself. And knowing that just…_scares_ me.

"Can we talk about something else?" Please?

"Dee." Mami walked over to me, taking a moment to give my head a few affectionate pats.

"I'm sorry—I didn't mean to…" Theodora frowned. "Let's…talk about something else."

"Y-Yeah…" I rubbed my eyes, wiping away a few tears that had slipped out.

"Did I miss anything?" Teresa picked the best of times to show up, carrying a plate of freshly baked muffins. She took our attention away from whatever discussion Theodora and I were having. "By the way, I'd hurry up and eat these things while they're fresh—Cupcake's still asleep, and Annette is making scones."

You don't have to tell me twice! I reached out for a muffin and started stuffing my face, much to Mami's annoyance, though…she didn't try to stop me this time around. She let me eat as many as I could scarf down, stopping me only so that she could offer me a glass of milk. As I was downing the glass, Annette finally showed up, with Opal at her side.

"My, aren't we lively?" Opal chuckled lightly, reaching down to pat the Mawile that peeks its head out from behind her legs. "Feel free to introduce yourself, Missy."

"Maww…" The Mawile scampered out into view, bowing politely at me before returning back to her position behind Opal.

"She's quite the shy girl around strangers, but don't worry—she won't bite." Opal laughs quietly at her own joke, likely knowing something I don't know just yet.

"Flick her on the nose if she tries anything," Teresa chooses that moment to whisper into my ear. "She's a bit nippy when playful."

_I'll keep that in mind._

And yet, that didn't stop me from shrieking when Missy decided that my ankles were a viable target for her jaws to bite.

"_Missy_!" Annette almost dropped the tray in her hands, were I not for Mami using Psychic. "We don't do that to guests, you naughty girl!"

"Brie, are you okay?!" Teresa tugged me away from Missy, quickly looking me over for any serious injuries. "Brie?"

"What the actual fuck?!" Missy only laughed behind her hands, finding my reaction quite amusing.

She didn't actually hurt me. As destructive as her jaws could be, being a Mawile, the most she had done was pinch me. Really, nothing about that had hurt. All it had actually done was scare the shit out of me, because _**bitch**_—what the fuck even _are_ those jaws?!

_Oh god, that was so creepy!_

Mawile certainly lives up to its classification as the Deceiver Pokémon, hiding a second set of jaws behind a seemingly adorable face.

_I guess that's one Pokémon I won't be training..._

Aww man, and I really like Mawile! I still do, I just...don't think I'm cut out to train one if I was fazed this much by how it moved its jaws.

"I think that's enough excitement for one day, little lady." Opal only smiled as she returned Missy to her Poké ball. "I hope she didn't startle you too badly."

"Eh, I'll live...can I have one of those biscuits?" I've been eyeing them the instant that Annette walked into the room with Opal.

"Biscuits?" Annette made a face as she accepted the tray from Mami, who had taken extra care to ensure that everything was in place. "These are scones."

"Scones…?" I did hear Teresa mention that Annette was making some, but…_ohhh_, right! "Scones!"

I forgot that biscuits are actually scones, and scones are…

_What the fuck even __**are**__ scones?_

"She's definitely Unovan." Theodora sighed as she held out her cup for Mami to fill up with tea—where did she get that teapot? "Did you make this, Annette? It smells different."

"No?" Annette furrowed her brow. "I was too caught up with making scones that I forgot to make a pot."

"Then who…?" Teresa trailed off as she watched Mami pour freshly brewed tea into a couple of teacups that had been set down on the table. Those weren't there before…

"Whoever is in that teapot, I hope you're ready to pay the price if those cups happen to be from Mother's old collection." Opal's expression turned serious.

There was a pause. Mami stayed especially still, thought the teapot in her hands kept pouring and pouring tea until the cup had been filled to the brim. Carefully, Teresa reached out to remove the teapot's lid in order to examine the contents within. Purple liquid sloshed around in circles, as though it was being stirred by a spoon. Soon, a tiny face with yellow eyes popped out of the liquid, taking on a strange, amorphous shape.

"Teeeeeaaa!" It waved at us with a tiny hand.

"Ohhh, I just bought these cups, you little harlot!" Theodora quickly put down the teacup she had in her hand, narrowly avoiding the blob of purple liquid that shot out and entered a different teacup. "What? Cup not up to your standards? How rude!"

"Is that really what offends you the most?" Annette asked.

"I just want them to finish what they started." Theodora waved the teacup around in the air. "It's the least they can do, since I paid good money for these cups—oh, good. They're triplets."

Theodora smiled wryly as she watched a blob split from one of the other cups and enter the cup she held in her hand.

"You see that, Brie?" Opal called out for my attention. "This is why you should always set aside some teacups. Otherwise, a Polteageist may use your new tea set to spawn a few Sinistea."

"Sinistea?" I recognize the Polteageist, but...wait! "Those are the teacup Pokémon?"

"That is them, indeed." Opal exhaled as she watched a teacup rise into the air. She barely flinched at all when cracks started to spread across the surface of the once pristine porcelain. The handle broke off, soon replaced with a purple-colored appendage that held on tightly. "What a waste of good porcelain."

"It was authentic, too," Theodora laments her luck, her eyes shining with unshed tears.

"There, there, Theo." Annette gave Theodora a few affectionate pats on the back. "If it makes you feel any better, I thought they were hideous."

"They were on sale!" Theodora was quick to defend herself.

"Yeah, but Annette's right—they were kinda ugly." Teresa averted her gaze as she dug her pinky finger into her ear.

"That's gross, Teresa." Theodora grimaced.

"Your taste in décor is gross." Teresa pauses for a moment to inspect her finger before flicking it in a random direction.

"Theodora's highly questionable taste in décor aside, I think we can agree that this counts as a successful encounter with a Polteageist." Opal adjusted her hat. "What say you, Brie?"

"Babies." I couldn't look away from the Sinistea the Polteageist had spawned. I never had much of a chance since the last time I encountered that one Sinistea in the forest. I still think they were caught…they probably did.

_I hope they did._

"Well, you heard her." Opal smiled as she turned her attention to the Polteageist and the Sinistea surrounding them. "I guess that means you can stay…just stay away from my mother's collection."

"Pollllll." The Polteageist nodded its head.

And as much as I wanted to stick around to check on the baby Sinistea, I couldn't, because Opal beckoned me to follow her…so I did. Mami soon did the same, though not before clearing the table of any broken porcelain. The Sinistea did leave quite the mess.

Sooo… "Where are we going?"

"Someplace necessary," Opal answered.

Someplace necessary turned out to be a doctor's clinic, where I got poked and prodded for any abnormalities.

"We're in the clear," says the doctor, through a mask that covers the lower half of his face. He removes the stethoscope from my chest and reaches up to ruffle my hair. "Might need a few vitamins to replenish some potential deficiencies, though I'll hold back until we can get some proper blood work done on her."

"Were you able to get an estimate on her age?" Opal asked, her gaze focused entirely on me.

"I'd say she's about five—a bit on the small size, though that could be from something completely different." For once, my attention span is on my side, though that could be because I genuinely am interested in learning more about this new body of mine. "Should start losing her baby teeth soon—which is normal, by the way. So don't worry too much about it."

I know he's only saying that because, for all intents and purposes, I am a child, but I really do appreciate his reassurance. I have this almost primal fear of losing my teeth, to the point it haunts some of my nightmares.

_Not fun._

Hopefully, losing a baby tooth won't freak me out.

"Eyes are especially good, considering the lighting of the Glimwood Tangle." The doctor paused for a moment. He pulled out a pen that he used to flash a small light in my eyes, taking note of how quickly I flinched. "Though, I do suspect she might have developed a minor sensitivity to light, which is nothing out of the usual here."

"Quite." Opal nodded her head.

"I'd highly recommend a psych evaluation, considering the trauma she must've gotten from the fire." The doctor put away his pen. "Though, that can wait until after her vaccinations are done."

_Aww shit, here we go again._

I consider myself lucky that I no longer freak around needles. That being said, it still fucking hurts when you get more than one stabbed into your arm. By the time the doctor was done, my arms felt as though they've been hit harshly in the funny bone.

"Oww, oww, oww!" Just moving them hurt so fucking much. I almost cried when I had my blood drawn.

"Dee." Mami rubbed soothing circles on my back.

"And we're done." The doctor tousled my hair as he walked off to hand the blood samples to his assistant, who was a young lady with black hair and eyes just as tired-looking as his. "I'll call in a few days to tell you the results. We'll talk from there."

"That's good to know." Opal placed her hand on my shoulder. "How are we doing?"

"It fucking hurts." I couldn't keep myself from swearing. "Sorry…"

"There is no need to apologize," Opal reassured me. "I can only imagine the pain you must be going through, so it's only reasonable that you're in such a sour mood."

Oh good, she's not mad.

"That being said, I would appreciate it if you could watch your profanity around others." Opal gave my head a few pats. "You gave the poor girl quite a shock."

Opal gestured at the doctor's assistant, who was staring at me with wide eyes.

"Sorry…" Well, _that's_ awkward.

"Dee." I know, Mami—gotta be more polite and shit...at least in these sorts of situations.

"We'll be taking our leave now." Opal tipped her hat at the doctor, who only nodded his head. "Thank you for your services."

We left after that, though we didn't head back to the gym immediately. Waiting just outside of the building was a man dressed up like some sort of aviator. He stood by a carriage of some sort, just big enough for three to four people. Perched on the handle sticking out from the top of the carriage was a massive bird with darkly-colored feathers. Red eyes stared down at us as we moved closer and closer.

"I assume you've been sent here by Chairman Rose...am I correct?" Opal asked the man.

"Close—it was Miss Oleana." The man grinned widely. "Destination is Wyndon, for a meeting with the chairman."

_Where the fuck is that?_

I sure don't know, and I'm too busy staring at that big-ass bird to even care. It looks like a raven—holy crap! That's a Corviknight!

_Ahhhh!_

"Can I touch it?!" I couldn't keep myself blurting that out, my loud volume and sudden outburst catching both the man and Opal by surprise.

"Cor!" The Corviknight squawked loudly, its feathers puffing up almost in annoyance.

"Easy there, Flynn." The man held up his hands. "Little lady just wants to touch you. Think you can let her?"

The Corviknight tilted its head to the side in question. Without any warning, the Pokémon spread its wings and hopped off the carriage, landing right in front of me.

_Holy shit!_

"There you go—just be careful with the steel feathers." The man crossed his arms over his chest. "Might be a bit chilly from our earlier flight."

_Come here, big boy!_

I ran up to the Corviknight with opened arms, ignoring the pain that was radiating from the areas where I've received an injection. The Pokémon doesn't react to my touch, staying still as I buried my face into his feathers.

_This is so fucking cool!_

It's soft, but also cold! The further in you go, the warmer it feels as you get closer to the Pokémon's skin. Touching the feathers in a certain way makes them feel smooth, like the surface of some polished metal.

A few pets here and there earn me a deep-sounding croon from the Pokémon, showing me a different side to this magnificent creature. You'd think that I'd be somewhat nervous around this Pokémon, with its massive size and intimidating appearance, but nah—it's a bird!

_A giant birb!_

And there is a high chance I can have one as a companion now!

_Sign me the fuck up!_

"Anyways, the name's Tom and I'll be your Cabbie for the day." Tom flashed me a smile. "I recognize Miss Opal here, but ah...you seem to be new."

"'M Brie…" I said through a bunch of feathers that somewhat muffled my voice. "I _waaaaaant_ one."

"Well, then I'd recommend starting with a Rookiedee, and working your way up." Tom rubbed his nose. "Now who's this little lady?"

"Iiinndee." Mami bowed politely.

"Well aren't you the sweetest Indeedee I've ever seen!" Tom laughed. "I swear, some folks just don't know how much they've taken their Indeedee for granted. Make sure you take good care of her, otherwise she might just leave without any warning."

_Hello?_

"They do that?" I pulled my face out of Flynn's feathers.

"Only if you treat them wrong," Tom explained. "They collect feelings of gratitude, though most folks don't know that those feelings have to be genuine."

I see… "Mami, are you happy?"

Mami blinked a few times. "Dee?"

"I need to know." Just tell me the truth.

Mami blinked again and smiled. "Indeed!"

Laughter bubbled up in my chest, warmth soon surging through my body. "I'm glad."

Mami has done so much for me… Without her, I don't think I would have made it this far. I owe her so much for the things she's done for me. So it's only fair that I return the favor by keeping her just as safe and happy as she has with me.

"Dee?" Mami looked confused for a moment. Her hand clasped over her chest, a bell-like chirp soon leaving her mouth. She closed her eyes, her smile only widening as she bowed her head.

"Looks like there's nothing to worry with you two." Tom grinned. "She with you, Miss Opal?"

"Yes—they both are," Opal replied. "We should get going. It'd be rude to keep the chairman waiting."

Tom nodded his head. He walked over to the carriage to open the door. "Step right in!"

And everything went downhill from there, because my dumbass forgot about the mechanics behind the Corviknight Taxi. It was only as I was watching Tom hooking himself up to the saddle his Corviknight wore that it finally hit me.

_This is the Fly replacement._

Holy fuck, we're going to fly—and there's not a damn thing I can do about, because Tom had locked the doors.

_Calm, calm, calm—it's going to be alright!_

Aww man, this is a **terrible** time to have a fear of falling!

"Dee." Mami reached out for my hand, holding it gently within hers.

"I assure you that everything will be just fine." Opal must have noticed my distress. "Tom's record is absolutely spotless."

That did nothing to keep me from screaming when the Corviknight lifted the carriage off the ground.

_Oh god, this was a mistake!_

* * *

…

…

"_**First time?"**_ Tom's voice echoes through the speaker in the carriage, just loud and clear enough for Opal to hear over Brie's screaming.

"Seems like it." Opal decides to leave all the comforting to Mami, as she has a better idea of what works best on Brie.

"_**Ahaha, I remember my daughter's first ride!"**_ Tom laughs boisterously. _**"Now she's at the top of her class at the academy! I'm hoping that she'll be able to take my place next year."**_

"Retiring so soon?" Opal arches her brow. "You're only sixty."

Still so young.

"_**Can't ignore the doc's orders. Would've loved to work for another decade, but my heart can't seem to handle the rush like it used to."**_

"It happens to the best of us." Opal's gaze drifts over to Brie as she begins to calm down. "Better?"

"N-Noo…" Brie sniffs, her cheeks now stained with tears. "Dun like this…"

"Dee." Mami pulls Brie closer to her chest.

"You'll be fine—I'll make sure of it." At first, Opal isn't sure if her words had gotten through to Brie. Then Brie finally speaks, and in the most assertive tone that Opal has ever heard from a child, she says, "You better."

Opal smiles, feeling absolutely no regret over the decision she made to adopt this child. Hopefully, the process itself won't take too long. Otherwise, Brie's temporary stay at the orphanage won't be as quick as she and Rose intended.

The decision to place Brie in an orphanage is a precaution, so that she could stay out of sight from whatever attention the investigations from the International Police will draw out from the media. It doesn't help that most of Galar is under the impression that the wild child of the Glimwood Tangle had died in the fire. Thankfully, that had not been the case, but it will still attract a lot of attention that could involuntarily put Brie the spotlight.

"Land!" Brie exits the carriage as soon as Tom has unlocked the doors. She drops to the ground, her body sprawled across its surface.

"You'll get used to it." Tom only laughs.

"Dee." Mami uses her psychic energy to lift Brie off the ground.

"Oh don't be so dramatic." Opal scoffs at Brie. "Save that behavior for the spotlight."

Opal smiles when she hears Brie's laughter. It seems her joke had landed…

"_Such a cute laugh."_ Opal can only hope that she'll be able to hear more of it from here on out. "Come along, child—there's someone that wishes to see you."

"Who?" Brie asks as Mami props her down on her feet.

"Oh, you'll see." Opal tugs down on her hat, a smile forming on her lips.

Unsurprisingly, it is Oleana who waits for them at the entrance of Rose Tower. She has her arms crossed under her chest, standing proudly at an even taller height than usual, thanks to her high heels. Her expression as neutral as ever, despite the impatient manner in which she taps her foot on the floor. She stops almost at once when she catches sight of Opal and Brie, arching her brow at the Indeedee that follows them.

"I wasn't expecting an Indeedee," Oleana remarks.

"Her name is Mami…you could consider her Brie's caretaker of sorts." Opal holds back the urge she has to smile at the visible confusion on Oleana's face. "Brie, by the way, is the name of the child—say hello, Brie."

"You're pretty." Not a greeting, though Opal is certain that Oleana appreciates the genuine compliment.

"Why thank you." Oleana can't hide the smile that tugs at her lips. "Now if you'll just follow me, I will take you to Chairman Rose. His schedule has been cleared out for the next few days, so we must use the time we have as efficiently as possible."

Well…that doesn't sound like a good idea. _"Should've figured that the man would be too impatient to wait a little longer."_

It looks like Opal will have to give Annette a call to inform her of the sudden change in events. And Theodora was so looking forward to having a girls' day out…

"_Guess we'll have to wait until this is all over."_ For Brie's sake, Opal only hopes that it doesn't take too long…

…

…

* * *

"That's a nice Amulet Coin you have!"

"Thanks—I got it for my birthday!"

Rose and Brie hit it off pretty well for two strangers who have only just met. Oleana isn't at all surprised—in fact, she almost seems…proud. She watches as Rose offers to let Brie spin around in his chair, waiting a few seconds before clearing her throat to catch his attention.

"Miss Opal would prefer it if the two of you were to converse in a more…_private_ location." Oleana chooses her words carefully, paying close attention to the child that stares at all of them. "If you would like, I can take Brie to somewhere more eventful than this dull office setting."

"Right—have Clarissa take a look at her." Rose smiles as he looks down at Brie. "We'll talk later, once us adults have finished talking."

"Boring stuff?" Brie asks.

"Boring stuff." Rose nods his head.

Oleana rolls her eyes. It's just like of Rose to say something like that to a child… _"Only you…"_

Beckoning at the child with her hand, Oleana waits patiently by the door, taking note of the Indeedee that follows after Brie. Clarissa is going to have a field day with these two… Of course, Oleana won't be there for most of it, as she'll be waiting outside of the Clarissa's office.

She examines her fingernails closely, briefly wondering when she should set up her next appointment for a manicure. Everything still looks good, but it's only a matter of time before a stray puddle of poison eats away at her nail polish. It's to be expected, with how often she plays with her darling Azalea.

Oleana looks up as the door opens. Clarissa escorts both Brie and Mami out of her office, stopping momentarily to hand Oleana a piece of paper.

"I'll send the chairman an official report later—I'm just skipping formalities." Clarissa adjusts her glasses, giving Brie and Mami one last look before going back into her office.

Oleana blinks, her gaze drifting over to the paper's contents. That's…quite the mixed bag for someone so young. Then again, living in a forest for over a year could do a lot to one's development… "Come on—let's get you something to eat."

Oleana stuffs the paper into her coat's pocket. Her gaze drifts downward, towards the child that stares up at her. She arches her brow at the blush dusting her cheeks red before extending her hand out for the child to grab. Most children are intimidated by her stature and appearance.

This child, however, is too flustered by her charm to take any notice of that. She latches onto her hand, babbling on about how pretty her nails are. The Indeedee at her side gives Oleana an almost calculating look. For the most part, Oleana ignores it, deciding that she doesn't care too much for it.

"Fufuu!" The Indeedee laughs, catching both Oleana and the child by surprise. There had been a drop in apathy that the Indeedee was able to sense within Oleana. It's not much, but it's certainly noticeable.

* * *

…

…

"The International Police should arrive within the next few days." Chairman Rose has his back turned to Opal, his gaze fixated on the scenery he can see from his office window. "I apologize for acting so hastily, but it would be best if we can put this behind us as soon as possible—for her sake, after all."

"I understand your reasoning, but I'd still would have preferred to have some time set aside to prepare." It's a bit much to ask, from someone as impatient as Rose, but Opal still tries anyways.

"If that's what's troubling you, then there's nothing to worry about!" Rose reassures her. "In order to ensure that you and that child are comfortable for the duration of these investigations, I have already set accommodations aside at Rose of the Rondelands."

"Fancy that." It's not exactly what Opal had in mind when she said she needed more time to prepare. Regardless, it's not as though Rose acts without any consideration for the consequences… he just needs to stop shouldering the entire burden of responsibilities on his own. _"You're not alone anymore, Rose."_

"I've also made some reservations in Hammerlocke for Brie." Rose turns around, a small smile on his face. "I hope you don't mind that I've her enrolled at the local Trainer School."

"Rose…" Opal sighs, feeling somewhat frustrated that she wasn't at all surprised with this revelation.

"As you already know, in the field of research conducted on the relationships between Pokémon and humans, there is one area that remains completely untouched," Rose begins, trying his best to explain himself. "And that is the relationships between Pokémon and children."

For the first few years of their life, children are capable of understanding the Pokémon around them. They lack the limitations that most adults have, effortlessly communicating with the Pokémon that they encounter. Of course, it's only recently that studies have proven this phenomenon. Not that long ago, most adults were willing to dismiss such claims from children as pure imagination.

It's understandable, considering the fact that children lose this particular ability of theirs by the age of three. There is no definitive explanation behind the phenomenon, just that it occurs. Speculation exists for possible ways to regain this ability, though it remains untested, due to the subject at hand involving children. There are just too many risks that could prove detrimental to a children's development.

Which is likely the reason why Rose has acted on an impulse, wishing to minimize whatever damages have occurred, in the time that Brie has spent isolated from people.

"I appreciate the thoughts behind your actions," Opal remarks, still somewhat annoyed with how impatient and impulsive Rose can be. "Though next time, maybe try and wait for Brie to give some input on her situation."

Rose nods his head and smiles. "I'll be sure to keep that in mind."

…

The room at the Rose of the Rondelands is as comfortable as Rose said it would be, being a penthouse suite. Opal watches Brie as she mimics her Alcremie's favorite dance in the center of the room, taking note of how eager the two are to spin around in circles. There is a lot going through her mind, after Rose had handed her the evaluation that his company's psychologist has done on Brie. There is, indeed, quite a lot of trauma the poor girl has. She's done a good job so far of hiding it, though not deliberately by choice.

Living in the moment helps her cope, which is what's gotten her this far without any help. Beyond the trauma, there are symptoms for an anxiety disorder and ADHD. Possible signs point to depression, though Opal has been told to keep an eye out for symptoms. It's for a more accurate diagnoses, as for the time being, it is just a suspicion the psychologist has.

There is nothing that Brie had to say, when asked about her parents. The most conclusive answers that she has given are about the Pokémon that have cared for her in the Glimwood Tangle. Everything else just draws blanks from her, which has made the psychologist suspect that it could be trauma-induced amnesia.

It certainly explains a lot about Brie, though there are still a lot of questions regarding her. However, Opal feels that they are best left for some other time. She accepts the teacup and saucer that Mami hands her, slowly inhaling the sweet aroma that wafts into the air. Carefully, she brings the teacup to her lips after blowing a few times and takes a small sip.

"_Perfect."_ Just what Opal would expect from a five-star hotel. "I hope I'm not interrupting your fun, but I do wish to ask you a question, Brie."

"Hmm?" Brie looks away from Éclair.

"Would you like to learn how to dance?" Opal asks with a smile on her face.

Brie blinks a few times, her eyes almost sparkling in awe. "Can I?"

"Only if you'd like to." Opal takes another sip of her tea. She's been given a list of activities that could help Brie cope with her trauma. Based on what she's seen so far, dancing might just help. If not…then at the very least, it could provide Brie with a worthwhile distraction.

Until then, Opal watches Brie spin and spin, like Éclair had done on the day she evolved into an Alcremie. Hopefully, tomorrow won't be too exhausting…

…

…

…

* * *

A/N SO HOW ABOUT THAT POKÉMON SWORD AND SHIELD EXPANSION?!

I am absolutely living for it, and the running gag going on in my chat about me being possessed by the Pokémon Devs continues as I somehow managed to, in a way, predict Klara, considering the Poison-type specialist I had mentioned in the last chapter by the name of Veronica, who was supposed to have been a _Heathers_ reference. Funny how that happened, ahahha.

Also, has anyone noticed something different, hmm? Yeah, I drew the cover for this fic. So now you have a better visual of Brie (you can find a better-quality version on my tumblr at **klonoadreams**).

ANYWAYS, have more of my worldbuilding, some of which has been around since 2012! Yeah, because a lot of my Pokémon headcanons and worldbuilding go back thaaaaaaat far. It should be mention that most of it is from a Black and White fic, which I need to get back to eventually as I'm in the middle of rewriting it.

Like Brie, the OC in that fic is nameless, though even before the rewrite, that has been the case and I'm not exactly sure how long that'll last, but hey—it'll give you something to think about, because I had like 19 chapters written out for the fic…so let that sink in.

Also, if you haven't noticed, I'm fucking trying to incorporate the whole differences in dialect and terms, so excuse me if I flub up from time to time. If it wasn't for _Sword and Shield_ doing it themselves, I wouldn't have even bothered, but now, I HAVE to try. And yeah, in case it hasn't sunk in yet, we're like at LEAST a decade before the events of _Sword and Shield_, because Leon and Brie are about the same age right now. Yeah.

Moving on, lets get those shout-outs out of the way! And while I only really do them for every ten reviews and the doubles, I had like two readers who gave me a massive review that made my entire FUCKING existence, SO THEY GET MORE THAN JUST AN HONORABLE MENTION!

Reviewer #30: **Aster's Descendants** (wish you luck on your writing endeavors! :D)

Reviewer #33: **ultima-owner**

Reviewer #40: **TheOrangeLord**

Reviewer #41: **OPFan37**

Reviewer #42: **Heitor**

Reviewer #44: **verner2**

Honorable mentions: **ja . gentile98**, **Maia the Writer**, **News Boss**

Thank you guys so much for taking the time to review! It really does help keep me motivated, because I always crave that validation! So just keep it up, yeah?

That's about it for now, so until next time! KD out! XD


	5. Friends

You know, when Opal told me I was going to get questioned by a nice man, I was expecting just your typical policeman or something. And like, it's similar enough…but _bitch_—I wasn't expecting Looker, of all people!

_What the hell are __**you**__ doing here?!_

Doing his job, obviously, but still—why him, when it could have been anyone else?!

_They got the International Police involved?!_

"Do you remember anything?" It's so weird, Looker without such a serious expression on his face—how old is he?! I feel like I'm seeing something I'm not supposed to see, because Looker looks like he's actually _young_.

_Bitch, I'm shook._

"What about your mother or father?" Ohhh, that's easy!

"They're Bayonetta and Dante!" I piped up a bit too eagerly. "Ohh, and Mami, too!"

I have two moms and a dad, though only Bayonetta and Dante are a pair. Mami is more of a...shit, what is she in this dynamic?

Does it even matter?

…

…

No—it doesn't.

Because Mami is part of this family.

And that's all that really matters.

"Is that so?" Looker smiles, looking a lot more like the man I remembered from the Pokémon games. Nice to see that that's the one thing about him that hasn't changed. "Can you tell me about them?"

"Bayonetta is a Hatterene and she doesn't like loud noises!" If you wanna meet her, then you're gonna have to shut up. "Dante is a Grimmsnarl and he's a really nice Pokémon! He likes to play, especially if Bayonetta is involved!"

Bayonetta sure does like to keep her emotional distance, but it's obvious that she cares about Dante as much as he does her. It's cute…like, **really** cute.

"Mami is an Indeedee—she's the one who found me!" I don't remember anything before that…apart from the life I left behind, but I rather not talk about that. "You met her already, yeah?"

Pretty sure that she's the first thing you have to get through if you want to talk to me, but I'm giving Looker the benefit of the doubt.

"Yes, I have…quite the lovely Pokémon." Oh good, so you agree! "Are you sure that's all you remember?"

"Welll…" I mean, if you want to get more specific. "There's also Honey, Clover, Acacia, Vlad, Boop…I can go on, if you want."

We have all day, after all. I don't think I'm going back home anytime soon, since everyone and their mother wants to learn more about me.

"Are they…also Pokémon?" Looker asks, looking somewhat concerned.

"Yes!" Don't know what he's worried about since, I was fine…ignoring the asshole who set my home on fire—you know what? Looker has every reason to be worried. He was probably told about the incident. "They're Pokémon, but…they're also my family!"

Not exactly who I was expecting when I woke up in the Pokémon World, but hey—I ain't complaining…_oh_!

"Did you know there's a teacup Pokémon?!" Looker, you have to understand—a fucking _teacup_! "It's a ghost!"

I saw three of them being spawned the other day! It was really cool!

"You don't say?" Looker actually looked intrigued with what I had to say. "Please—go on."

"Okay!" You asked for it!

* * *

…

…

More than a few hours have passed by the time that Brie leaves the room. She runs up to Mami, throwing her arms around the Indeedee in an embrace. Opal watches them as Looker walks up to her, looking as though he lost some faith in humanity.

"Are you alright, young man?" Opal asks, receiving only an exasperated sigh as a response.

"All that she knows is life in that forest." Looker runs his hand through his hair. "She told me about the Pokémon that she's seen. Not once has she talked about other people—not without being prompted."

"I…see." Opal frowns, having expected this. "I suppose you don't have any leads, do you?"

Looker shakes his head. "For the time being, no…but that could change soon."

"The investigations—of course." That's what Opal has been anticipating. "Say you do find this child's parents…what then?"

"They will be punished accordingly, for the crime of abandoning their child," Looker explains. "I assume it is you who will be adopting this child once these investigations are done with…right?"

"That is correct." Opal smiles. "If you want the finer details, I suggest asking Chairman Rose about them—do try to break the news lightly to him, won't you? He is the one person who has been trying to remain optimistic about this situation."

"I shall try my best." Looker walks off after that, leaving Opal alone with Mami and Brie.

After about a minute, Opal turns her attention to Brie and calls to her. "It's lunchtime, dearie!"

"Okay!" Brie exclaims. "C'mon, Mami!"

"Dee!" Mami only nods her head and follows after Brie.

In the past few days that they've started staying at the Rose of the Rondelands, Brie, Opal, and Mami would usually order room service and eat in their room. However, today was different, as their room was currently being cleaned by the hotel staff. So for the time being, the three of them go to dine at the hotel restaurant. Luckily, for them, there aren't that many people around to pay them any attention.

It's how Opal can look through the menu without anyone asking her for an autograph… Surprisingly enough, Brie can read, from the way she doesn't ask Opal for help when she looks through the menu herself. She does, however, seem surprise when she asks about some of the selections.

"So this is fish?" Brie looks so confused as she points at the menu.

"Yes—the hotel restaurant serves seafood." Opal wonders if Brie has had a chance to try it. "Would you like to eat that?"

"It's…just fish—yeah?" Brie furrows her brow.

Opal laughs. "It's just fish."

It's what Brie chooses in the end, and when her food finally arrives, she spends a good five minutes just observing it. Mami has to prod her a few times to start eating, though once she takes her first bite, she doesn't stop. Soon, she finishes her meal and without even missing a beat, Mami reaches out to wipe Brie's mouth with a napkin. It's an endearing sight, and though Opal wishes these days that she's had with Mami and Brie could last just a little longer, she knows that come tomorrow, they will have to part ways.

It's temporary and meant for Brie's safety, but that doesn't mean Opal is looking forward to it. Hopefully, this doesn't take too long. From the looks of things, Brie is getting homesick. She hasn't admitted it herself, but Opal has caught her asking about when they'll be going back.

As soon as this mess is over, Opal is going to take Brie back into the Glimwood Tangle so that she can see her family again. That, she can definitely guarantee.

…

…

* * *

It's early in the morning when I got woken up by Opal.

"Mmmmuuurrr…" I buried my head underneath my pillow, hoping that it would discourage her.

"Deee." Of course, thanks to Mami, it doesn't work, as she uses her psychic energy to get me out of bed.

"Alright, I'm up…" I wish I wasn't, but dammit—I guess we can't always have what we want.

"Come along, Brie—Tom's waiting for us outside." This early? Why the fuck—ohhh, _no_!

"I'm not getting back on there!" Too bad I have no say in this, because Mami's already taking me out of the room. "Uuuuuuurrrghhh."

"I'll buy you something nice for your troubles." It better be worth it, Opal. It's not easy getting by a fear of falling…

Thankfully, I passed out before we took off, so everyone was spared from hearing me scream. The downside is that Tom wouldn't stop teasing me over how I managed to sleep through the entire ride from Wyndon to…Hammerlocke? I think that's what Opal called it?

"This is Hammerlocke, right?" I asked her as I rubbed the sleep out of my eyes.

"Yes, this is Hammerlocke." Okay, good—so I was paying attention…oh _wow_, this place is **huge**.

_Is that a fucking castle?_

At the center of the city was a magnificent-looking castle that stood proudly above every other building that was within its vicinity. Although, the more I looked at it, the more I realized that what I was seeing was just one part of something that was even _bigger_. It was like being at Disneyland, where you kept stopping every few steps because everything was so freaking **interesting**.

There were a lot of shops, I think I can make out a park…is that a Pokémon Center? Holy shit—I can recognize one at first glance!

_Nice!_

We ended up making a stop at a clothing store, where I got to try out a bunch of clothes that actually fit me. And ohhh god, it feels so weird to have something brand new actually fit you. Holy crap, I couldn't stop feeling the soft material of the cream-colored turtleneck that I had pulled on.

_So soft!_

I think I might be stimming—yeah, I'm stimming.

"You like that?" Opal asks me, having noticed my behavior. "It's made out of Cottonee and Eldegoss cotton."

"I love it." Can I keep it? Because I don't feel like taking it off. I like what I'm wearing now, which was like a pair of black shorts over striped tights. Opal and Mami somehow managed to get some footwear on me, which was a simple pair of brown boots. A bit heavier than what I'm used to, but I guess anything is heavy when you've gone barefoot for like two years.

_Kinda comfy though…_

Still prefer to go without any shoes, but Opal refuses to hear me out. Even Mami was on her side, which was rude—but also understandable.

_I'm kicking these off the instant I can._

Which was soon enough, because Opal took me to this massive building full of children that were laughing and playing as they waited for breakfast to be served. There were adults—likely caretakers—in the area, keeping a close eye on the children as they played.

_Growl._

"I'm hungry…" I got too excited over getting new clothes that I forgot that we hadn't eaten at all.

"Just a little longer, Brie—but before that, there's someone I need to introduce you to." And that person was a very motherly-looking lady by the name of Eleanor.

"Hello Miss Opal—we weren't expectin' you so early!" Eleanor was in the middle of bottle-feeding an especially restless infant. "Is that the little one we'll be watchin' over?"

_Hello?_

"You're leaving me?!" I might've overshot it with the volume, since that made the baby start bawling.

"If you'll excuse me one moment—I need to take care of this." Eleanor smiled sheepishly as she quickly exited the room, leaving me alone with Opal and Mami.

"Deedeee!" Mami was scolding me lightly, for being too loud.

"'m sorry…" I didn't mean for that to happen…

"I should be the one who's apologizing—for not telling you earlier." Opal tugged down on her hat. "It pains me to say this, but this is where we must part ways. But I promise you, it's only temporary. I will come back for you—that I can guarantee."

"Y-You promise?" I'm not comfortable over how emotional I'm getting from this. Like…she'll come back for us, yeah?

_So why do I feel so…sad?_

"It's okay to cry." I'm not crying—_fuck_! "You can let it out."

I don't know what it was about Opal's words, but I started sobbing after that. The tears just spilled from my eyes, my breathing soon growing erratic. This horrible, agonizing sensation just kept clawing at my chest. It kept going and going, until it finally came out as a loud scream.

It felt like the world around me was falling apart. It was so hard to breathe, with so many thoughts flooding my head. It was hard to think clearly, not helping was how my body wouldn't stop trembling. I wanted to throw up, and at some point, I think I did. I vaguely remember retching, but besides that, everything else was a blur.

By the time I had calmed down, I was held tightly in Mami's embrace. A soothing, aromatic scent emanated from her body.

_I know this smell…_

It's the one she always uses on me whenever I get too worked up about things. There was always something so calming about it. It made me feel…safe.

_Safe, safe, safe…_

Mami murmured soft noises into my ears, her hand rubbing soothing circles on my back. I felt so lightheaded as my breathing returned to normal. My vision was still blurring from the amount of the tears that had flooded my eyes, but…

_This is fine._

It feels better.

_It's not fine._

But I'm safe.

"I'll be sure to visit you as often as I can." Opal's voice kept me grounded, her touch easing away some of my troubles. "I underestimated the emotional duress you would experience. I apologize for not reassuring you that I wouldn't abandon you. I swear on my career as a Gym Leader, that it was never my intention to make you feel like you were being left behind."

Words fumbled out of my mouth in some strange mishmash of sounds. I couldn't understand myself. Neither could Opal, but…Mami seemed to know what I was trying to say.

"Dee." Is that what I'm trying to say? "Indeed."

I don't know why I reacted the way I did. Nor do I understand the emotions I was experiencing so vividly. It was terrifying and painful… At the same time, I was relieved, knowing that Opal would come back. She hasn't left yet, but I no longer felt so uneasy as I had when the thought of her leaving had entered my head. I clung to her leg, wanting to ensure that this memory of her never leaves me.

Her touch felt comforting when she patted my head. She didn't tell me to let go—not even when Eleanor returned. She was surprised to see me looking the way I did, considering the meltdown I had. Though, I'm pretty sure she heard that—as well as anyone within the vicinity of this room—on account that she no longer had a baby in her arms.

_Did I scare them?_

I guess I was pretty loud…

"Dee." Mami patted my shoulder.

_Right—it's not my fault…_

I inhaled deeply, holding my breath for a good five seconds before exhaling slowly. I could barely make out what Opal and Eleanor were talking about, but it doesn't seem to be anything negative."

"Make sure that she doesn't feel like she's being left behind…" Opal tells Eleanor. "I can trust you to do that, right?"

Eleanor furrowed her brow, initially perplexed. After a few moments, her demeanor changed, as did her expression. No longer was she confused, rather…she appeared confident, her voice as steady as ever as she said, "You won't regret putting your trust in me."

Opal left shortly after that, taking to the skies on a Corviknight Taxi with Tom. I watched as they soon disappeared into the distance, Eleanor's side hand gently stroking my hair as I stood by her side. Mami held my hand, refusing to let go, no matter how hard I gripped hers.

I felt like crying again…but I didn't. Eleanor was an especially lovely lady, as she knew exactly how to cheer me up. She looked at me with a warm smile on her face as she asked if I was hungry.

_Growl._

I only nodded my head, my cheeks heating up from embarrassment as she laughed.

"The other children are always happy to make new friends!" The other children—right…this is an orphanage. Those exist… "C'mon. Let's introduce you to them."

I lost whatever nerve I originally had when interacting with new people, immediately hiding behind Mami as Eleanor introduced me to the other children in the orphanage.

"Dee." I know I have to socialize, buut…can you give me a few days? "Deeeee."

_Uuuurgh, fiiiiine!_

"'Looo…" There—that's as much as they'll get from me today. That good?

"Indeed." At least one of us is happy…

I really hope that whatever uproar comes out of the investigation the International Police are conducting, doesn't go on for too long, because it sure is gonna _suck_ being the topic of this evening's news. So let's just throw that fucking suitcase of concerns out of the way, because I just noticed that this orphanage had helper Pokémon that were assisting the caretakers.

There was a Maractus helping a caretaker cheer up a crying toddler with an upbeat rhythm it was making. A male Indeedee was helping volunteers (as denoted by the aprons that set them apart from regular caretakers) set up the tables, using his psychic energy to set down most of the cutlery. A Minccino scampered about, using its tail to clean up the floors. A Ditto kept the other children entertained, transforming into various Pokémon that matched the pictures that were being shown to it.

Mami managed to attract the attention of a group of children that were about my age. As I hid behind her, I watched as the children interacted with her, asking Eleanor if she had a name.

"What was her name again?" Eleanor asked me in a deliberate attempt to get me to talk.

"Mami…" I don't like this, but…thanks anyways. "Her name is Mami."

"Mami…?" a messy-haired boy repeated.

"Dee," Mami responded to the boy, bowing politely at him.

"She looks like Ferdinand…" A blonde-haired girl looked questioningly at Mami. "Are they related?"

"No, Mia—Mami is also an Indeedee." Eleanor laughed. "It's just that Ferdinand is male and Mami is female—it's like with Frillish."

"Oh!" Mia nodded her head. "That makes sense…Do you like pancakes, Brie? I like pancakes!"

Ahh, shit—they've turned their attention onto me. "I guess I do…"

"Where you from?" the messy-haired boy asked me. "You speak funny."

"I…" I honestly don't know, and considering my current situation, I don't think I should be answering questions like that.

"Now, now, Marco—that's not a very nice thing to say!" Eleanor looked sternly at Marco.

"Sorry—but I really want to knowww!" Marco whined. "Or is it like with Cindy and Marlene?"

"It's exactly like that!" Eleanor nodded her head. "There are just some questions that are best left unanswered. Maybe one day, she'll tell you. If she doesn't, then oh well—it's none of your business. That goes for all of you."

Eleanor glanced over her shoulders at a few volunteers that quickly looked away, having been watching the entire spectacle. She shook her head and turned her attention back on me and the other children.

"Well, sit yourselves down—it's time to eat." Upon hearing that, the children started to cheer. And with breakfast now being served, all attention drifted away from me, so I was able to eat in peace.

"Indee." Although, I did have to deal with especially uptight Indeedee, who was checking up on my table manners…I think his name was Ferdinand?

"_I am Ferdinand von Aegir!"_

Wrong Ferdinand, brain! "I can do it myself!"

"Innn." Well, that ticked him off—ohh…I had it wrong.

_Well, now I feel bad._

"Sorry about that…thank you!" I gave him a smile, earning a rather affectionate pat on the head from him. He turned to Mami and nodded his head, saying a few things I couldn't quite catch because one of the younger children decided to ask me a question.

"Are you actually talkin' to Ferdie?" a curly-haired girl asked me with her mouth full of food.

"Only babies talk to Pokémon, Kimmy!" a freckle-faced boy piped up. "She's not a baby!"

"But she was talkin' to him!" Kimmy protested. "What did he say?"

"Just…that I was wrong." I looked down at my plate of pancakes.

"That sounds like him!" Kimmy nodded her head. "You need to stop bein' so rude, Jack. It's not nice! You're jus' like Amanda!"

I don't know who this Amanda is, but I already dislike her. Something about the way Kimmy said her name gave me that sort of vibe that she's not a particularly nice person…

And lo and behold, I had a chance encounter with her during playtime, when she came by to check on me while I was playing a board game with Mami. She gave me this strange look when she caught me talking to Mami, but she didn't say anything. Instead, she just walked away.

_Good, I don't wanna deal with you._

She seemed to have her own clique amongst the volunteers, with perfectly manicured nails that weren't suited for most of the activities she was helping out with, and platinum blonde hair that more often than not got grabbed at by curious little girls. She refused to let any of them play with it, immediately removing their hands off her hair. She was rather rude about it, but not rude enough that it got her in trouble.

Thankfully, the girls didn't let that discourage them from going to a different volunteer, who was more than happy to let them play with her hair. While her hair wasn't as lightly colored, it was a brilliant shade of deep blue and just long enough to reach her hips. She caught me staring a few times, smiling at me as she asked if I wanted to join.

"No thanks." Maybe next time… I have a score to settle with Mami. "Best three out of five!"

"Dee." Mami used her psychic energy to reset the pieces on the board.

I got thoroughly thrashed by lunchtime, my brain otherwise fried from how often I have to think about things to even get anything past Mami. She's really good chess, though it definitely helps that I'm absolute trash at it.

Naptime consisted of me staring at a wall for like fifteen minutes before I decided to get out and sneak around with Mami. That's how I got acquainted with Percival the Minccino. I had a blast helping Percival clean up, which says a lot about how little I cared about naptime.

_How did preschool me get through this?_

I _vaguely_ remember doing a lot of talking with the adults when I wasn't just rolling around on a mat. Well, at least I'm not getting in trouble for being awake.

"What're you doing out of bed?" Never mind—Amanda caught me. "It's naptime!"

And that was Mami's cue to get me the fuck out of dodge. She used her psychic energy to carry me back into bed, though not without giving Amanda a strange look that made her shudder in fear.

_Damn, Mami—what she do to you?_

Whatever it was, Mami wouldn't stop glaring at Amanda whenever she got too close to me after that. At one point, she actually used her psychic energy to push Amanda away, which earned her laughter from the other volunteers. She kept her distance after that, much to Mami's relief.

That evening, the television was turned on and a good chunk of children (including me) gathered around to watch recordings of Pokémon battles. Initially, we were watching the news while one of the volunteers was channel surfing, but Eleanor put a quick end to it when the news in specific was talking about how the child of Glimwood Tangle was still alive.

_They thought I was dead?_

That explains why Opal left me here. I can only imagine the influx of reporters she's likely getting…

_We'll worry about that later._

I was too busy setting my sights on the battle going on before my eyes. I can hear some of the children cheering on one of the Trainers, even though they couldn't hear them. It was, after all, just a recording.

"Veronica! Veronica!" The Trainer made excellent work of an especially fast Cinccino, using only a Toxicroak to whittle it down. It helps that Toxicroak had the type advantage, being part fighting type, but its poison also helped.

The match was over within a matter of minutes and soon, the other Trainer was returning their Cinccino back into its Poké ball. The next Pokémon they sent out was this weirdly colored green elephant that quickly made the ground underneath them quake.

"What's that?!" I pointed at the television screen.

_I don't know what it is, but damn—it looks so fucking cool!_

"That's a Copperajah—have you never seen one before?" Eleanor was nice enough to answer whatever questions I asked her. "I suppose the Cufant line wouldn't be that well-known in Unova…"

I guess everyone is under the impression that I'm from Unova… I mean, I _could_ be—this body, at least. And honestly? I like Unova—it still is one of my favorite regions.

_Sewaddle live there._

I wanna raise one so badly… Leavanny is just so cuuute!

"Chairman Rose owns a Copperajah," Eleanor continued, her fingertip lightly booping my nose to get my attention. "You'll definitely get a chance to see it the next time he visits us."

Is that so? That's nice to know.

_Rose is a really nice guy._

I've heard his name getting dropped a lot by the volunteers. Some of the younger children won't shut up about it, each time one of them brings up Perrserker—what even is that?

_Sounds like a cat._

It sure looks like it, from the way I've seen toddlers mimic some of its actions. And speaking of cats, the orphanage got one the next day, in the form of a Galarian Meowth.

_Another one?!_

That thing looked so feral, with its shark-like teeth and yellow eyes. Its greyish-brown fur was so unruly, and its tail was curled up into a little ball. The coin on its forehead was black instead of gold, glimmering brightly within the light.

The strangest thing about it—and I swear I'm not making this up—was the long beard it had hanging from its face. It hid most of the front part of its body from view, making it look like an overgrown hairball.

_Hey Ma! There's a __**weird**__ fucking cat!_

"Nyaaa!" It went after me the instant it caught sight of my amulet coin. It batted the coin with its paws, taking a moment to rub its body against mine. Surprisingly, its fur was actually softer than it looked.

_Holy shit, it's like a thick, fluffy blanket._

"Aww, she likes you!" Eleanor cooed. "It's not often a kitten takes so fast to strangers."

_That thing's a baby?!_

I mean, it certainly looks small enough, but… I thought that was normal, since it's not a Kantonian Meowth nor an Alolan one.

"Chairman Rose says her name is Delilah." That is a very pretty name for a very feral hobo cat Pokémon. "She's going to be our new companion, so do take care not to make her mad! She's prone to biting and scratching!"

That seemed to be a warning for the other volunteers and caretakers. Most of the children kept their distance, while the older ones took their chances. It was hard to get Delilah to stay still, since she ran around from place to place. A few times, she was caught nipping the ankles of a few volunteers. Usually, she came to me when that happened, acting so innocent and playful as she rubbed against my body.

"That little cretin bit me!" Oh suck it up, Amanda. Delilah was just playing…

"You were just playing, yes?" Scratching behind her ear earns me quite a meowy purr. "Such a cute girl!"

"Makes sense that you two would get along." Amanda muttered a few swears under her breath before walking away.

"Rude!" Keep that attitude up and Delilah won't stop biting you. "Try to pick somewhere else to hide. They're getting smarter."

"Nyaaaaa." Delilah crawled into my lap and started kneading at my legs.

"Ooww, ow!" Holy crap, that hurts!

"Nyrowww…" Delilah retracted her claws after that, using them as little as possible as she got comfortable. She fell asleep within a matter of minutes, earning a somewhat exasperated sigh from Mami when she showed up to fetch me.

Over the next few days, Delilah slowly opened up to the other children. She was hesitant to interact with any of the toddlers after one of them tried grabbing onto her tail. She had better luck with the older children, especially the boys, who would often lift her up into the air.

"Perrserker, use Metal Claw!" There's that name again…

Delilah just yawned loudly and jumped out of a boy's hands, taking a moment to use her hind leg to scratch behind her ear. She walked off after that, slumping down next to a young girl who was drawing on the floor.

"You want me to draw you?" The girl laughed as Delilah batted away one of her crayons. "Tha's not for playing!"

By now, I had spent an entire week here and...it's not so bad? Like, I'd still prefer to be back with Opal and the rest of my family, but I suppose things could be worse. At the very least, there's always something to do… Even if I did spend most of my time alone.

…

…

Well, not _completely_ alone. I got to know Flora the Maractus, who often hangs around the toddlers. Most of them like the noises she makes. Those who don't are taken somewhere quiet with Ferdinand and a caretaker. It's fun to copy her dance-like movements.

Gummy was the name of the Ditto who often transformed. They were pretty patient, often dealing with the rowdiest of children—which is what they did all week, because stormy weather kept us inside. So it's been somewhat hectic.

_Let me out—LET ME __**OUT**__!_

From what I've heard, the children are often taken to the park to play. It's their favorite place to go, since that's where Trainers often battle each other. There was a court made specifically for Pokémon battles, just within sight of the jungle gym that the children liked to climb.

Basically, going to the park sounded like a lot of fun. So I was looking forward to going outside once the weather cleared up. Beyond the Pokémon battles at the park, I just wanted to get a better look at Hammerlocke. It's been more than a week, and I still know so little about this place.

Of course, Eleanor kept me from going outside, saying it wasn't time for me to go just yet. So here I am, stuck inside the orphanage's indoor playroom. There were other children who had stayed behind, quickly taking advantage of how empty the place was without the others around. It was a smart move, since it gave them more time to play without any interruptions.

A glasses-wearing girl had left the library with a large stack of books that was almost as tall as she was. She sat down next to me, asking if I minded as I played with a bunch of building blocks.

"No...why?" I asked.

"The library is pretty lonely," she answered with her nose stuck in a book. "Feels weird."

"You scared?" I hadn't meant to ask that, but the girl didn't seem offended when she lowered her book to answer my question.

"It makes me think about people going away." The girl adjusted her glasses, amber-colored eyes shining in the light. "It's too empty. Too…quiet."

"Too lonely…" I think I get it.

"Scary stuff happens when you're alone." The girl handed me a book. "Like bad news."

It didn't take me too long to realize the implications behind her words. With the way things are, it's easy to forget that this is an orphanage. I turned my attention on the book that she had handed to me. It was a book about fairytales.

I'm still not sure how, but I can read. The language is different from the ones I know, but each time I look at a word, I can understand it without any difficulty. The only thing that I truly struggle with is writing...but let's just save that problem for another day.

There are more important things to do—like helping Ferdinand with Delilah. He has such a difficult time keeping her still while she's being brushed. He has an easier time when I'm around, because Delilah likes me best.

"Nyroww!" Oh good—she's being sharp and pointy.

_Did her teeth get sharper?_

That's going to leave a mark… "Stop biting—you're not being cute."

Delilah released my hand after that, her tongue licking over the indents she left on my skin. Thankfully, her teeth didn't break the skin, so that didn't hurt as much as it could have.

_Reminds me of the Impidimp._

And now I wanna go outside! "Are you sure you can't just sneak me out?"

"Iiiin." When did you start taking orders from Mami? "Dee."

Ahh, I see… "Well, you're no fun."

"Deed." You're right—Eleanor is the one keeping me inside.

"But you're the one who's always looking so serious." Live a little, Ferdie—you'll get more out of it if you do.

"Indeed." See? You look even cuter when you smile—you should do it more often. "Dee."

"Rude!" Man, Ferdinand was more of a Felix with that attitude of his… But I guess that's what makes him so cute.

_It's the tsundere appeal!_

"Nyanyaaaa!" Okay, okay—you're cute too! "Nnnn."

"Dee." What's up, Ferdie?

"Oh, it's you again." Could say the same about you, Amanda—when did you get here? Wait…is that who Ferdinand was reacting to? Huh… "Don't know why you're even pretending—there's no one around."

_Excuse me?_

"If you're gonna keep playing pretend, at least keep it down." Amanda pinched the bridge of her nose. "You're giving me a headache with that imagination of yours…"

_Is that seriously what's bothering you?_

"Iiiin." Holy shit, Ferdinand—you're going to get in trouble for saying that!

_Hello, police? I think I just witnessed a murder!_

"Deeeeed." Wait—what? "Deein."

Oh, right—she can't understand you…Hold on a fucking second! "What do you mean by that?!"

Ferdinand slapped his forehead. "Deedee."

Are you serious?! "I thought everyone could do it!"

"Deeindeedee!" Ferdinand gave me such an exasperated look. He shook his head and sighed, his gaze drifting downwards to Delilah, who had started chewing on her brush.

"Ohh…" Well that explains a lot of things.

_Is that why Amanda keeps telling me to grow up?_

I still think that she's the one who needs to grow up, but whatever.

"What the hell was that about?" Oh right—she's still here.

"None of your business." Whoops—that came out ruder than I had intended!

"Okay—you're going on time-out for that!" It was nice knowing you, Ferdinand. I'll see you in about fifteen minutes...huh?! "What the?!"

Without any warning, Ferdinand had used his psychic energy to lift Amanda into the air. She thrashed about, yelling at Ferdinand to put her down...but he refused.

"You know you're going to get in trouble for this." I know she was being rude, but Amanda was just doing her job.

"Deedee." Though, I suppose Ferdinand is _also_ doing his job...whatever _that_ is. For the time being, it was keeping Amanda away from Delilah as she jumped up and tried to bite her. It was a pretty entertaining sight, but man, was Amanda _pissed_.

I later found out, after receiving a lecture about minding my manners (which is reasonable, because I _was_ being rude), that Ferdinand's utmost responsibility is to ensure that any hostile emotions are kept away from the children. In this case, those hostile emotions happened to be coming off of Amanda, who was doing a _terrible_ job at keeping her temper in check around me. This chick's vibes were so rancid, it gave Ferdinand a headache.

_No wonder Ferdie was so annoyed with her…_

I managed to avoid a time-out, though only because Mami put me through one instead. So here I am, rethinking my life choices as Mami used her psychic energy to keep me in the air. It's better than staring at a corner, but damn, do I miss the floor…

I ended up falling asleep, which made for a hilarious story to tell Opal when she came to visit the next day. She certainly had a few laughs…also!

"You're back!" I refused to let go of her legs for a good five minutes.

"Still not wearing shoes, I see." You know it! "Well, that will have to change if you want to go outside."

"I can go outside?!" Where are those fucking boots?!

"You can go outside starting tomorrow—just don't stray too far from the others, okay?" Opal, I owe you my life. "Now how are you getting along with the other children?"

I looked to Eleanor for some sort of mercy, but she straight up exposed my isolation tactics.

"You need to try and socialize." I knowww—Mami's been getting on my case for it…

_But it's __**soooo**__ hard to talk to other children!_

Some of them are starting to give me weird looks, each time they catch me talking to Mami or some other Pokémon. The only ones who don't do that are like…the toddlers, but that's only because they talk to the Pokémon just as much as I do.

_Apparently, it's that's a normal thing…for kids under the age of three._

I'm an anomaly—who would've thought?

_I'm pretty sure I've always been an anomaly._

I've been one since I woke up in this body, but I can't go around telling _that_ to people at random. That one lady who gave me a psych evaluation pretty much threw me in for a loop when she asked if I was certain about that.

"_Are you sure you didn't just forget?"_

So I don't know how to feel about that…why did I tell that lady something I probably should've kept a secret? Because her eyes stared into my soul, and she somehow managed to see through my lie… Actually, her fucking Beheeyem exposed my lie.

_I don't know how I should feel about the fact that she had that Pokémon with her…_

The Beheeyem line is fucking terrifying, for the fact that their Pokédex entries straight up mentioned, various times, that they can rewrite memories. In any case, she never asked me to clarify what I meant by how I just woke up one day in the body of a child. She looked at her Beheeyem and just nodded her head. She wrote something down, but I never found out what it was.

_It could be anything._

I honestly stopped giving a shit about it. It's better to just live in the moment and deal with things as they come my way. I mean, look—there's Pokémon!

_There's __**always**__ Pokémon!_

That's all there really is to this world…and I'm okay with that.

What I'm not okay with, is the idea that I have to say goodbye to Opal again.

"Not goodbye—we'll meet again." She gave my head an affectionate pat before boarding the Corviknight Taxi. "Stay safe."

I was on the verge of tears as I watched her leave, but…I didn't feel as terrified.

_This is fine._

I'm still sad…but she'll come back. She kept her promise—so there's nothing I have to worry about.

_Really—it's fine._

It's definitely fine.

_It's just taking some time to sink in…_

I ran a lot as soon as I was let loose in the park. It felt nice to see the sky again—which is weird, when I spent a good chunk of time in the forest not being able to see the sky. Not without going to that clearing, of course—but whatever.

Mami tried to get me to interact with a few kids, but…easier said than done. I wimped out at the last second, just running off to go watch two Trainers battle each other. I mean, that was pretty cool.

"Dee." I know, Mami—I'm sorry…

"Whoa—you're that kid the others were talking about!" Hello? I don't think you're from the orphanage. "The one that talks to Pokémon?"

"I guess…?" Ehhhh…? They were talking about me?

I don't know how I should feel about that, but I didn't have much time to think about it, because the kid I was talking to just held up his Pokémon to my face, which was…

"Axew!" An Axew…holy crap—I think this is my first time actually interacting with a dragon Pokémon…

_Holy shit, it looks so cool…_

"Can you understand him?" the kid asks me with such a hopeful look in his eye. "I wanna tell him that I'm sorry I can't talk to him like I did before…"

"Axew ax!" The Axew frowned.

"Oh…you don't have to apologize." I didn't…actually think of how distressing this can be for some. Now that I actually think about it, I can't even begin to imagine how it would be to wake up one day and find out that I can't understand Mami anymore… "It's not your fault."

"Ax ax!" The Axew nodded his head.

"Really?" The kid smiled widely. "I'm glad! Thank you!"

"It's nothing…" Just don't ask me how I do it.

"You do know that she's just pretending, right?" I'm not sure who said that, but it certainly discouraged another kid from going up to me.

"Really?" the kid asked, looking rather sad…but not as sad as the Growlithe in her arms. "That's not nice…"

"I'm not pretending." I never was!

And yet, that didn't stop the other kids from saying I was a liar. I didn't know them personally, but I recognized them from the orphanage. These kids…I think I've seen them around Amanda lately.

_I wouldn't be surprised if some of her comments rubbed off on them…_

That seemed to be the case, from the way that most of their words matched hers.

"You need to grow up eventually!"

_Why should I?_

"Don't you get tired of lying?"

_But I'm not lying…_

"It's creepy that you still act like you can understand them!"

_Am I…creepy?_

I know that they're just repeating words that they've heard, but…it still hurts.

_Hurts, hurts, hurts, __**hurts**__._

It felt like I was dying, because of how much my chest was starting to hurt. It was such a terrible feeling, just clawing away at me from the inside. Making me feel these horrible things…

_Stop, stop, stop!_

I wanted to throw up…wanted to scream…wanted to…cry…

_Don't cry, don't cry, don't cry…!_

Mami got me out of there before I got worse, holding me tightly to her chest as she tried her best to calm me down. I tried pushing her away, not wanting her to touch me…

_Please __**don't**__ go!_

_Don't __**leave**__ me._

Hot tears stung my eyes, remaining as persistent as ever when I tried blinking them back. I tried focusing on the soothing smell wafting off of Mami's body… Tried focusing on her touch as she held me tightly against her chest. Tried focusing on just how soft her fur was…

_Soft, soft, soft…_

Little by little, the pain in my chest went away. I stopped trying to push Mami away, and instead, I kept telling her that I was sorry. Each time that I did, she would respond back, saying that it wasn't my fault. The tears wouldn't stop coming, but…it's fine.

_I'm okay._

I _feel_ okay…so it's fine.

_I'm safe._

Mami kept me safe…kept me hidden behind some shrubs, so that no one would see us.

_Safe, safe, safe, safe…_

I didn't talk much after that, staying relatively quiet as Mami walked me over to a nearby bench. I sat down, just staring ahead at the group of children that were playing together. A part of me feels bad for being alone… Another part of me feels annoyed that I even care.

"I hate this…" I finally spoke.

"Dee?" Mami looked at me.

"I'm fine—just annoyed." I hate how emotional I get over the littlest of things. I know that it's just my ADHD doing its thing with its rejection sensitive dysphoria, but it's still so fucking annoying having to deal with it…

_I hate being a child again…_

Makes it difficult to keep my emotions in check…

"Hey!" I immediately turned to face the boy that was now standing in front of me. He had the bluest eyes that I have ever seen, with brown skin that was darker than mine, and black hair styled into dreadlocks that barely brushed his shoulders. He smiled widely, revealing a rather adorable fang that protruded from the top half of his mouth. Without any warning, he held a Trapinch to my face. "This is Storm!"

I blinked. "Storm?"

"Traaa!" Ohh…okay…that's your name.

"I heard you can talk to Pokémon!" the boy said, his smile never once leaving his face. "Can you tell me what Storm is saying?"

"Why?" I mean…I just got told that I was a liar…

"Because I wanna hear him!" the boy replied, as though it was obvious. "It's been a while, so…can you?"

"…Okay." But only because you asked. "What's your name?"

The boy tucked his Trapinch under one arm, using his free hand to jab his thumb into his chest. "I'm Raihan—you?"

"Brie." Raihan…that's a nice name. Certainly unique, but…it suits him.

"Brie…hey—mind if I take a picture?" Raihan held up the camera that was hanging from his neck.

I furrowed my brow. "What for?"

"So that I can record our first meeting!" Raihan replied, his Trapinch soon repeating a word that made me think twice.

"Friends…?" What does he mean by that?

"Yeah! That sounds about right!" Raihan nodded his head confidently. "We're friends now!"

"Wha…?" Hello?

_Flash!_

"Friends!" Raihan repeated as I slowly recovered from the bright flash that momentarily blinded me. "You and me—that's what we are from here on out!"

"Traptrap!" Storm agreed with him, even though I haven't said anything.

_Do I __**want**__ to be friends?_

…

…

_I think…I think I do._

"Yeah…friends." I held out my hand to Raihan.

Raihan grinned widely as he took my hand and shook it. "Glad you agree!"

Before anything, I introduced Mami to him, somewhat surprised with how happy she was acting. She kept making that bell-like chirp as she bowed at Raihan, quickly stepping aside to let him sit next to me. She helped a bit, using her psychic energy to plop him right next to me.

"She always like this?" Raihan turned to me, looking rather amused.

"This…is new." I don't think I've ever seen her like this.

"Traaaa!" Storm, honey…I've only known you less than ten minutes, but…I would die for you.

"What's he saying?" Oh—right…that.

"He wanted to do that again." Storm really likes being in the air.

"You _would_!" Raihan held Storm in front of his face. "It's good to hear you again…"

"Traaapinch!" Storm opened and closed his mouth a few times. He seemed pretty happy…

"Thank you for giving me this chance, Brie." Raihan smiled at me. "It really means a lot to me."

"Even if I might be lying?" Geez, I never expected to get this insecure about _that_…

"Why would you do that?" Raihan frowned. "You don't look like the type—and Storm doesn't seem to disagree with you."

"Piii!" I…guess you're right.

"I'm not creepy…right?" I just…want to make sure.

"Of course not!" Raihan reached out and grabbed my shoulder. "If you're creepy, then _I'm_ creepy—that's how it works, now that we're friends."

"Really?" Do you…mean that?

"Raihan never lies!" Raihan paused for a moment, before quickly adding, "Except in certain situations—but I swear I'm not lying. Not to you, Brie."

"Trapinch!" Okay, okay…

"I'll believe you…" I couldn't keep myself from laughing.

_This kid…is just too much…_

And I'm okay with that…because we're friends.

…

…

…

* * *

A/N THERE WAS A REASON THE LAST CHAPTER WAS NAMED THE WAY IT WAS, AND HERE IT IS!

Yeahh, say hello to baby Raihan! Honestly, wasn't expecting him to show up this early, but…things happened, so here's the boy! I headcanon that Raihan was the type that took a lot of pictures as a kid, with his camera around his neck and whatnot, since this is before the Rotom phones took over.

And as you can see, in this chapter, Brie has severe abandonment issues. She's not exactly in full control of this, so it'll be something that she'll have to learn how to manage.

As for the comment about Clarissa…she managed to get the truth out of Brie, but like, shit can go bonkers for a kid who got left in a forest full of psychic and fairy type Pokémon. So you do the math over what kind of conclusion a psychologist can come to, considering she owns a psychic-type Pokémon herself.

In any case, I know I mentioned it last chapter, but this chapter pretty much confirms that YES, Brie can understand Pokémon. She wasn't exactly aware of it, because of how naturally it came to her now. Of course, not everyone appreciates it, like a certain volunteer by the name of Amanda, who thinks Brie is just pretending. Not exactly nice of her to tell Brie to grow up, and the influence she's had on the other kids hasn't done Brie any favors, now that her rejection sensitive dysphoria has kicked in _this_ badly.

And just so you know—yes, that's how it fucking feels to have rejection sensitive dysphoria. Because ADHD likes to fucking amplify your feelings and make it EVEN WORSE, so instead of just going on as usual, you're just STUCK thinking over it because this horrible feeling won't leave your chest. At least—that's how it is for me. I wish I was exaggerating…

Anyways, time for some shout-outs!

Reviewer #47: **OPFan37** (your long reviews make my day, and entire week)

Reviewer #50: **ShugoYuuki123**

Reviewer #55: **guisniperman**

Honorable mentions: **Maia the Writer** (thanks! I'm super proud of this cover art!), **RoseRavenWillow RandomFangirl**

Thank you guys so much for taking the time to review! It really does help keep me motivated, because I always crave that validation! So just keep it up, yeah?

I just got back to school and I'm almost out of work, so here's to hoping that I can get more chapters out, because this fic is honestly just so fun to write!

That's about all I have for now, so until next time! KD out! XD


	6. Reunion

For the longest of times, Mami has looked at other humans with caution. She knows of the ways that they can hide their emotions, letting them fester inside while hiding behind a deceitful smile. It's why she keeps her distance from most adults. With children, she chooses carefully with whom she wishes to interact with—after all, not many children are like Brie.

But Raihan?

Raihan is different…but he's a _good_ different. He gets along quite well with Brie, in ways that Mami feels is most beneficial to her. Brie likes to hide behind a smile sometimes. It's so empty and hollow, but unlike the people that Mami prefers to forget, these smiles don't make her feel so terrible. Instead, they make her feel…sad.

So very, _very_ sad.

It's why Mami likes Raihan so much, because he keeps Brie from making that face of hers.

"Deedee!" Mami nods her head as she continues observing their interactions.

It's been more than a week since Raihan came into Brie's life, and while Mami would prefer it if Brie would interact with the other children at the orphanage, she's at least glad that Brie isn't completely alone. He keeps her talking whenever she starts to get too quiet.

Sometimes, it's Raihan who talks to Mami. It leads to these one-sided conversations, but Mami doesn't mind. It's nice to see him trying, since he sees Brie doing it so effortlessly.

It's still strange why Brie hasn't lost her connection yet, as most children her age would have. It's strange…but definitely not unwanted. Because Mami likes talking to Brie.

And Brie likes talking to her, and every other Pokémon she comes across. Just like most of the younger children at the orphanage do, wanting to know as much as they can from her because she's so new to them. She's seen more things than any of the other Pokémon at the orphanage have seen. The only one who comes as close to it is Delilah, but she keeps her distance, still wary of the toddlers that tried to grab her tail.

"Why did you even choose to work here if you don't like dealing with children?" At the moment, Mami has her eye on two of the volunteers who were assigned to watch the children. One of the volunteers was a blue-haired girl by the name of Carol, who was currently confronting another volunteer.

"I did not spend money on these nails just to have them ruined by working in the mines." And that volunteer just so happened to be Amanda. "And if you think I'm going to go work with poison Pokémon in sanitation, then you're absolutely nutters."

"If that's the case, then you really need to watch what you say, if you want to keep working here," Carol scolds her. "I caught some of the kids repeating what you've said around them."

"It's not like it matters—they're just kids." Amanda twirls a lock of her hair around her finger. "Speaking of kids, there's that weird one's Indeedee."

"Dee." Mami doesn't even try to hide her distaste for Amanda.

"Oh, hello Mami!" Carol, as usual, is quite the sweet girl…unlike Amanda, who is full of such negative emotions. "Did you lose track of Brie?"

Mami shakes her head. "Deedee."

"Strange—she's usually with you, though." Carol places her hands on her hips.

"She's probably playing pretend again with a Pokémon," Amanda remarks.

"Just what do you even have against her for that?" Carol scowls at Amanda. "So what if she is pretending? The least you can do is play along."

"Why should I? She's old enough, Carol—she just needs to grow up." It takes every fiber of Mami's being to keep herself from using her psychic energy on Amanda.

"Dee." Mami takes her leave with a bow, deciding that she can no longer tolerate Amanda's negative emotions. At the very least, Brie wasn't around…but that still does so little to soothe her headache. "Iinnndeee."

Mami should probably look for Brie, if only to ensure that she doesn't come in contact with Amanda in any way, shape, or form. Wherever she is, Brie seems to have gone farther than she should from the others…

"Dee." Mami isn't so sure if she should be worried or relieved. On one hand, this minimizes any possible interactions Brie could have with Amanda. On the other hand, Brie wasn't supposed to stray too far, so…

…

"Dee." Mami sighs and shakes her head. Brie is only lucky that Raihan is with her, otherwise, Mami would've defaulted to her usual behavior. It's why she remains calm when she finds Brie and Raihan by a crepe stand that's located at the outskirts of the park.

Raihan greets her with a warm smile on his face, offering her a crepe that he quickly gives to his Trapinch when she politely turns him down. Storm snaps up the entirety of the crepe in one bite, catching Brie completely by surprised.

"Holy crap!" Brie almost drops her crepe out of shock.

"Oh yeah—he does that." Raihan only laughs. "You get used to it."

"Trap trap!" It honestly wouldn't be the same if Storm doesn't ask her for the same favor he usually does when he sees her.

"In." Seeing no harm in indulging Storm, Mami uses her psychic energy to levitate Storm. It earns her a wave of positive emotions that make her feel absolutely warm and fuzzy inside. "Dee dee!"

"Storm really likes being in the air…" Brie looks curiously at Storm as he wriggles around in such a happy manner.

"Baba says it's because of what he'll eventually evolve into," Raihan tells her before holding up his camera to snap a picture.

_Flash!_

"Ahh!" Brie shields her eyes from the harsh light that comes from Raihan's camera.

"Oh, sorry—forgot to disable the flash." Raihan frowns as he reaches out to pat Brie on the head. "Maybe we should get you some glasses?"

"It's fine!" It's not fine, but Mami doesn't say anything. She just watches as Brie rubs her eyes before taking a huge bite out of her crepe. "I'll get used to it."

"Hmmm…" Raihan tilts his head to the side. "Well, if you say so…"

"Indeedee." Mami narrows her eyes as she uses her psychic energy to pull out the pair of disposable sunglasses that she KNOWS she's slipped into Brie's pocket this morning. "Dee dee!"

"I'm not wearing them!" Brie snatches the sunglasses out of the air. "They're ugly! YEET!"

She proceeds to throw them across the field, earning quite a few laughs from Raihan.

Mami growls softly as she gently sets down Storm in a soft patch of grass. She turns her attention to the pair of sunglasses that Brie has thrown and catches them before they even touch the ground. Without any warning, she lifts Brie into the air and forces the sunglasses on her face.

"Put me down!" Brie wails, nearly dropping her crepe with her flailing.

"Dee!" Mami isn't putting her down until Brie promises that she won't remove her sunglasses. She knows Raihan often forgets to disable his camera's flash, so it's best if Brie learns to get used to wearing sunglasses…

"I won't laugh if you wear them, if that's what you're worried about." Raihan does his best to reassure Brie.

It hasn't been that long since the doctor had confirmed that Brie had in fact developed a minor sensitivity to light. He had given her a box of disposable sunglasses that she could easily fit into her pockets. And as convenient as they were, Brie wasn't exactly a fan of the design. Not helping were the children in the orphanage poking fun at Brie whenever she attempted to wear them.

Which is why Mami has been struggling with Brie to have her wear them. If she could get Brie to wear shoes for snowy weather, then she could get Brie to wear the ugly sunglasses…at least, until Opal could provide a much more fashionable replacement.

Thankfully, Raihan has been an absolute blessing in easing some of the trouble that Mami has been having. And yet, that still doesn't completely solve the issues Mami has with how Brie has been getting along with everyone else at the orphanage.

Carol has been trying her best to minimize the damages caused by Amanda, so that's something worth noting. Of course, that still doesn't change the attitude that a handful of children have developed from losing their ability to communicate with Pokémon. And while it is distressful period of time for them, that doesn't excuse them from taking out their frustrations on Brie.

Brie really doesn't deserve this…

"If you want, I can find you a better pair." Raihan reaches up to drag Brie out of the air, having little to no issue handling her weight after Mami cuts off her psychic energy. "Easy—easy!"

"Why are you so strong?!" Brie is absolutely baffled at Raihan's strength, which…isn't exactly that abnormal for a child of his age, considering the Trapinch at his side.

"Am I that strong?" Raihan tilts his head to the side. "Or maybe you just don't weigh a lot?"

"No way!" Brie scoffs.

Mami nods her head. "Dee."

From what she recalls, Brie is of an absolutely healthy weight for a child of her presumed age…which just so happens to be five years old. Brie has certainly flourished a lot after receiving enough vitamins to replenish some of her deficiencies. Just the other day, she lost a tooth while roughhousing with Raihan.

In turn, Raihan also lost a tooth and after the initial scare, the two were laughing it off after that. It was honestly quite an endearing sight to behold. If only Bayonetta and Dante were here to see this…

"Indeed." Mami decides that she'll just have to tell them when they see each other again. Hopefully, it's sometime soon. Though Brie tries to hide it, she is rather homesick.

Even Opal has noticed, from the way she shows up the next day to ease some of Brie's worries when she asks about the forest.

"Everything is fine as usual," Opal reassures her. "That being said, when are you going to introduce me to this new friend of yours?"

Apparently, all Opal has to do was ask, because Brie is especially eager to introduce her to Raihan. Raihan, upon seeing Opal, struggles to find his voice. His hands fumble with his camera, his teal-colored eyes staring widely at her in awe.

As this goes on, Mami takes to her usual habit of levitating Storm into the air with her psychic energy. Normally, Mami does her best to stay as involved as she possibly can whenever the situation involves Brie. However, this time…she decides that maybe Opal is more suited for the issues that Brie has.

* * *

…

…

"I've heard so much about you from Brie." Opal smiles warmly at the boy that immediately asks for her autograph. "How can I refuse such a polite boy?"

It takes a good five minutes for Raihan to calm down, after which he turns to Brie and asks, "Why didn't you tell me you knew Opal?!"

"I…didn't think it was that important." Brie laughs nervously, not knowing how to react to Raihan's sudden change in demeanor.

"In the Galar region, we take Gym battles quite seriously," Opal explains, her fingers gently running through Brie's hair in an attempt to calm her down. "As a result, most Gym Leaders have quite a prominent role to play each season."

"The final Gym Leader is in this city!" Raihan pipes up, a noticeable blush tinging his cheeks a dark shade of red. "She keeps to herself for the most part, but sometimes! Sometimes she comes to the park to visit!"

"Ahh, yes…I do believe she is currently looking for a successor." Opal adjusts her hat. "It's likely why you don't see her often during the off-season."

"Is that why?" Raihan looks at Opal in awe. "I never had that much of a chance to talk to her, like you…"

"You have Brie to thank for that." Opal laughs when Brie suddenly wraps her arms around her legs. "She'll be coming back with me soon."

"Really?!" Brie stares up at her in awe, her eyes completely hidden by the sunglasses that Opal had a caretaker strap around her head.

"You're leaving already?" Raihan frowns.

"Oh…ohh…" And just like that, Brie realizes she has a problem. "I'm sorry…"

"You don't have to apologize!" Raihan is quick to tell her. "It's not your fault."

"But…I _want_ to go." Brie averts her gaze, looking somewhat ashamed.

"If you want to go, then go!" Raihan flashes her a toothy smile. "Don't let me stop you from doing what you want to do!"

"Raihan…" Brie bit her lip. "Thank you."

"It's nothing!" Raihan holds up his camera. "Just let me take a picture of you when you leave, okay?"

"You know…" Opal decides to interrupt the two. "It's almost time for classes to start at the local Trainer School."

"Oh yeah—I start next month!" Raihan grins widely. "Baba says I can become a Trainer as soon as I turn ten…but only if I get good grades!"

"That sounds reasonable." Trainer Schools are meant to prepare most children for the life of a Trainer. Contrary to popular belief, not everyone can become a Trainer. It is a lot harder than it seems, considering how much budgeting one has to do in order to maintain such a transient lifestyle. "Brie, would you like to join him?"

"I can?!" Brie has certainly become a lot louder in the month that she's spent away from the Glimwood Tangle…

"You'll start around the same time as Raihan, here," Opal explains to her. "And just like him, you shall be attending the Trainer School in this area."

"I don't mean to sound ungrateful, but…why?" Brie asks, likely questioning the distance between Ballonlea and Hammerlocke.

"Because it wouldn't be fair to tear you two apart." It's not a lie, even if the circumstances behind Brie's enrollment were a lot different from what Opal had said. While Brie was enrolled without any prior consultation due to Chairman Rose's impulsive actions, it really wouldn't do her any favors to separate her from Raihan, considering the difficulties that she's had with interacting with children her own age.

"So does that mean I have to ride on that taxi?" Brie makes a face.

"If you would rather stay at the orphanage…" Opal begins, only for Brie to cut her off with, "I'm good!"

"It's probably for the best!" Raihan laughs. "Some of the kids have been especially nasty to Brie."

"Ohh…is that so?" Opal turns her attention to Brie, who quickly distances herself from her. "Brie…what have you been hiding from me?"

"Ummm…" Beads of sweat rolled down the sides of Brie's face.

"You mean you haven't told anyone?" Raihan's eyes widen. "That's not good!"

"I…didn't want anyone to worry…" It is around this time that Mami approaches Brie, still levitating Raihan's Trapinch as she gently pats her head. "I'm sorry… I should've been more honest."

"It's not your fault." If anything, Opal feels that it's her fault alone. "I should have noticed that something was wrong."

Knowing how sensitive Mami is to Brie's emotions, Opal should have consulted her above everyone else. And yet, here she is, just watching as Mami does her best to comfort Brie when she starts to cry.

"Tell me, Raihan…what have these children been saying to my granddaughter?" It's the first time that she's explicitly referred to Brie as her granddaughter. Though the paperwork is still pending, that doesn't change how Opal feels about Brie at this point in time. She had made a mistake that had such dire consequences on Brie's wellbeing.

It's not enough that she's told Eleanor to keep her from feeling left out. There's only so much that can be done when Brie doesn't feel like informing others about the issues that she's kept to herself. Opal cannot even begin to fathom why Brie would even do such a thing to herself. That's when she realizes that it must have something to do with the life that Brie likely had before she was abandoned.

There's a jab that Opal feels in her chest as she watches Brie latch onto Mami. The pain only worsens as Brie's sobs grow louder and more intense.

"Is she going to be okay?" Raihan asks her, looking rather concerned for his friend.

"I honestly don't know." Opal can't even bring herself to lie to Raihan. "All we can do is ensure that she stays safe. Can you do that for me?"

"You can count on me." Raihan has such a determined look on his face. "I'll make sure she smiles again!"

And in order to do so, he tells Opal just what it is that the other children have been telling Brie. From there, it doesn't take Opal too long to find the source of all these issues, which leads to the dismissal of a volunteer by the name of Amanda. Amanda had been working at the orphanage as part of a mandatory summer project that required students of her age to participate in volunteer work.

"I apologize dearly for even giving her the benefit of the doubt." Eleanor apologizes profusely to Opal. "I will do my best to ensure that this never happens again."

The last any of them ever hear of Amanda is that she's been transferred over to sanitation work. While that goes on, Eleanor does her best to minimize the damages that Amanda has caused by the unnecessary comments she's made around the children. Little by little, the children stop repeating the words that they've heard.

About five days later, Opal finds herself receiving a call from Eleanor.

"_**I don't know what's happened, but we can't find Brie!"**_ Eleanor is reasonably distraught.

"Has Mami said anything?" Opal is quick to ask.

"_**Mami—I…don't think so?" **_Eleanor's tone is uncertain, though based on the lack of input from Mami herself, then there really isn't much reason to worry.

"Then it's fine," Opal reassures her. "It seems that Mami has given Brie permission."

"_**Permission to do…what?"**_ Opal herself isn't sure, but within the next fifteen minutes, the two receive an answer in the form Raihan's mother, Leila, calling the orphanage to inform them of Brie's whereabouts.

It seems that Raihan has invited Brie over to his house. There isn't much warning that he gives to anyone, and after a light scolding from his parents, Brie is allowed to spend the night. Opal approves it herself, deciding that there isn't any harm in giving Brie the freedom to spend time with her friend.

She brings up the topic to Annette, Theodora, and Teresa over dinner, which contributes to the lively discussion that they were already having over how quiet it has gotten since the number of the reporters going to them for information has lessened considerably with each passing day. It's only a matter of time now before Brie can return to them.

"I've heard children talking about a Hatterene wandering near the entrance of the Glimwood Tangle," Teresa changes the subject. "Do you think that's Brie's mother?"

"Hard to say without her around, though…that does explain why there aren't that many children out and about." Annette brings a spoonful of chowder to her mouth.

"I thought it was just—Oolong, you sly brat!" Theodora scolds the Sinistea that has tried to disguise itself as her cup of tea. "You know you can't pull a fast one on me like that!"

Opal only chuckles as she watches the parent Polteageist collect its child from Theodora. "I hope that Brie doesn't mind that we've named them without her input."

"It's fine—we still got this nameless one over here." Annette gestures at the Sinistea with a coloration that is far different from its siblings. "Decided to leave this one for her to name, since Theodora wouldn't stop calling it a homewrecker."

"That's because it _is_ one!" Theodora doesn't even try to hide her bitterness. "I still paid for that tea set!"

"Yes, yes, and that tea set had an atrocious design—let us move past that." Opal tries her hardest to hide the amused smile on her face. She fails when Theodora points it out.

Nevertheless, the four of them all laugh. It's all in good fun.

…

…

* * *

I haven't known Raihan that long, but it's hard to deny how attached I've gotten to him. He's a pretty nice kid, with a cute smile that's just so damn contagious. His family is just as nice, with a lovely mother by the name of Leila, and a massive giant for a father by the name of Jamal. And as impressive as Jamal was with his height, I couldn't turn my attention away from the apple that I spotted crawling across the floor.

_Hello?_

"This is Atiya!" Raihan lifts the apple off the ground without any hesitation, holding it closely to my face.

_Did that thing just blink?!_

What I thought were leaves on the top of the apple in Raihan's hand weren't actually leaves…they were eyes, because apparently, sticking out from the back of an apple, was this green, worm-like creature.

"Atiya is an Applin!" Raihan explained to me. "She doesn't do much, but…she's part of the family, so say hello!"

"Liiiinnn." Atiya squirmed around in Raihan's hand.

"Hello." What a peculiar creature…I love it. "It's a Pokémon…right?"

"Yep!" Raihan grinned. "Baba gave her to Mama one day…so here I am now!"

"Ahh…" Interesting… "Can I hold her?"

"Sure!" Raihan hands the apple over to me. "Just be careful—she likes to shout."

"App!" Holy crap—that's _loud_!

"And that's Astonish." Raihan sighed. "You'll get used to it."

Huh…reminds me of Hattena's Disarming Voice, only…more cringy.

_Uuugh, who put bees under my skin?!_

I'm hoping this feeling goes away soon, because all too suddenly, I'm aware of clothes that are covering my skin. It's not a nice feeling…but I manage, if only because Atiya took an instant liking to me.

"Liiiin!" Aww, you're kinda cute when you're not making my skin crawl with your screams!

"Trap trap!" And it seems like Storm is getting jealous from the way he's nudging his mouth against my feet.

"I'm not gonna forget you—no biting!" Raihan told you it's rude—learn to listen.

"Piiiin." Storm averted his gaze, trying to pretend as though he didn't try to nip my ankles.

"I forgive you!" I knelt down to Storm's level, soon holding out the Applin in my hands. "So when were you gonna introduce me to your cute friend?"

"Trap trap!" Aww, what a shy boy you are! "I didn't know you were his mama!"

"Liiin." Atiya seemed rather proud of that.

I don't think they're blood-related, but that doesn't stop Atiya from treating Storm like her own child, despite the massive size difference between the two. It's honestly cute…

"Don't know how anyone could think you're pretending." Raihan catches me by surprise with the way he just suddenly crouches down to my level. "You're like the only one who got their relationship right without being told about it."

"Isn't it obvious?" There's just something so distinct about the tone that Atiya uses to speak to Storm. It's affectionate and friendly, but in a way that reminded me of Dante. It's a tone that parent Pokémon use around their children.

"Hmmm…" Raihan tilted his head to the side. "I guess…"

"Linap!" Ohh, it seems Atiya feels the same way about you, Raihan!

"Ehehe, you're her child, too!" I brought Atiya closer to Raihan's face, allowing her to give his nose a gentle boop with her apple.

"Is that how you feel about me?" Raihan's eyes lit up with glee. "Mama! You'll never guess what Brie just told me!"

It didn't take Jamal and Leila that long to accept that I could communicate with Pokémon. Though, it certainly helped that Raihan wouldn't stop talking about me to his parents.

"I'm surprised it took him this long to bring you home to us." Jamal laughed as he ruffled his son's hair. "Follow me—there's someone I'd like you to meet."

And that someone just so happened to be Jamal's Drampa, Omar. And geez, that's a _long_ fluffy boy!

"Draaa!" Like most Drampa, Omar was an absolute friendly Pokémon towards children. I was certainly no exception from the way he extended his head to nuzzle me.

_Holy crap!_

I didn't think that it was covered entirely in fur… I'm so used to most dragons having scales—but not this dragon!

_So soft!_

"You pass." Jamal laughed as he clapped his hand on Raihan's shoulder. "You made a good friend."

"I know!" Raihan smiled widely as he held up his camera to take a picture of me and Omar.

_Flash!_

Thanks to the sunglasses that I was wearing, I didn't have to worry much about reacting so negatively to the camera's bright light. That being said, I'd still rather not wear these things—but I guess we can't always get what we want.

"Draaaaa." At least there's this big, soft boy to make everything better.

Omar was living the life, having a room within this house set aside specifically for him. There's just enough space for him to move around comfortably, with toys laying about to keep him entertained and a big bowl full of berries that Raihan had to keep Storm from getting anywhere near it.

"You'll get your dinner in a bit!" Raihan laughed as his Trapinch started nibbling on his hand. "My hand is not food!"

"Trap traaa!" Storm knows that, but that won't stop him from being a bit nippy.

Just what is it with these Pokémon that have big jaws that makes them always wanting to nip people?

_Maybe it's a way they show their affection…_

Storm ends up proving me right when he nips my ankles about a few minutes later. It didn't hurt, but it sure did make me scream. However, unlike Missy, Storm's actions didn't dissuade me from wanting to train a Trapinch, though…I did reconsider my options in the near future to take up strength-training. Even now, I can barely lift Storm into my arms without toppling over.

Although, maybe that's more of Storm's size, combined with his weight, disrupting my balance? Could also be because I'm long overdue for a growth spurt, so I'm pretty short for a child of my physical age. Maybe if Storm was just a _bit_ smaller, then I wouldn't have these issues…probably.

_Hard to say, since I can't exactly shrink Storm._

…

Or can I?

_Hmmm…_

"Tra?" Storm gave me such a curious look as he stared at me from under the table. He quickly turned his attention away when Leila filled his bowl with rice. She was pretty generous with his portion, not holding back as she spoke to him in such a babyish voice.

"Mama, you're embarrassing me!" Raihan whined. "Not in front of my friend!"

I couldn't keep myself from laughing.

"Hush now!" Leila clicked her tongue. "If you want Storm to grow up big and strong, then you have to make sure he eats a lot."

"The same goes for you two." Jamal gestured at the plates that Leila had set down for me and Raihan.

"Umm…thanks." That…sure is a lot of food. And the portion only gets bigger when Leila gives me an extra scoop of rice.

"You should eat more—you're so small." Leila patted me on the head before sitting herself down at the table. "There's a plate of baklava waiting for you two once you're done."

"Really?!" Raihan's eyes lit up.

"Of course." Leila smiled. "Have you ever had baklava, Brie?"

"Not…that I can recall." I have a pretty shitty memory, so if I did have baklava before, then I sure as hell don't fucking remember it.

"Well, you're in for a treat!" Jamal said as he reached down to pick up Atiya off the floor. He set her down on the table, placing her near a bowl that was filled with bright-red apples. "Take your time, Atiya."

"Liiiin." Atiya proceeded to do just that as she carefully scrutinized each apple in the bowl.

I don't know what I was expecting from Atiya, but it sure as hell wasn't her leaving her apple for a different one. And _wow_, I was not expecting her to look like an actual worm…

_Is she part bug?_

She certainly looks like it, from the way she reminds me of those worms that burrow into apples. And like those worms, Atiya laid claim to the apple that had caught her eye. She spent no time digging into the apple, soon returning back to her usual appearance, with her eyes sticking out from the top like a pair of leaves.

"Liii." She was pretty happy.

When I had finished eating, I spent the next hour or so just laying on the floor with Raihan, the both of us stuffed from all the food we had eaten. Storm teetered his way over to us, quickly plopping his head right on Raihan's stomach. Raihan grunted from the sudden weight on his stomach, but he didn't really move, just letting it happen as Storm got comfortable.

The minutes went by, and Leila eventually set down a plate of the baklava she had promised us.

"Be sure to share with Omar—you know how much he likes his sweets." Speaking of Omar, he's right over there, just chilling in his massive bed, not really caring that we were intruding on his space. In fact, he actually started making his way over to us. He laid his head down, his red eyes just staring at us as he watched Raihan reach out to grab a slice of baklava from the plate.

Without any warning, Omar reached out and snatched the baklava from Raihan's hand.

"Hey—wait your turn!" Despite Raihan's words, he was more amused than annoyed. He laughed loudly as he tried to keep the plate away from Omar. "If you want a slice, you might want to get it now while there's still some left!"

By the time Leila came back to check up on us, Raihan and I were covered in Drampa slobber, courtesy of Omar, who had done his best to clean up the mess we made with a plate of baklava. He meant well, buuut…yeah.

_This is kinda gross._

But I guess I'm used to it after living around a bunch of mischievous Impidimp.

"Not again…" Leila sighed. "Alright—into the bath you go!"

Apparently, this isn't the first time that Omar's done this. The only difference is that Raihan wasn't alone this time. He and I got thrown into the bathroom at the same time and told not to come out until we were clean. So, uhhh…here we are.

_Splash!_

"Gotcha!" Raihan laughed after sending a wave of soapy water my way.

I shook my head, trying my best not to let any of the suds get in my eyes. Afterwards, I cupped my hands and dipped them into the water. While Raihan was laughing his ass off, I had stood up in the bath without him noticing. Then, without any warning whatsoever, I let the water in my hands pour over his head. Almost at once, did he stop laughing.

So now it was _my_ turn to laugh. "Ahahhahaha!"

I just couldn't help it. This reminded me so much of the life I had in the forest. After all, I was never truly alone, so I had to get used to it fast. Life wasn't that much different at the orphanage either, especially during bath time. The only actual difference is that I felt far more comfortable around Raihan than a bunch of other children who I barely even knew…with the exception of the toddlers. They were funny, okay?!

Ferdinand made the funniest comments around them because he actually had to watch his language. Of course, that didn't stop Mami from smacking him over the head every once in a while.

I would honestly die for Ferdie.

And this isn't me having some sort of guilt over what happened in my Verdant Wind run of _Fire Emblem Three Houses_—ohhh no.

"_**We killed Ferdie!"**_

Definitely…not…

_Get out of my head!_

Okay, that's enough thinking about that! The door just opened, and Leila is letting in Storm. Storm lets out a few noises that sounds suspiciously like an annoyed hiss, but Leila lightly scolds him before giving his backside a gentle nudge with her foot.

"You need a bath too!" Leila tells him. "The sand should be nice and hot by now, so dig to your heart's content."

"Trap traaa!" That was enough to convince Storm to keep moving forward instead of forcing his way out of the bathroom. He made his way over to this peculiar sandbox that was located in the corner of the bathroom, as far away from the water Raihan and I were splashing around.

"What's that for?" I honestly thought it was just a sandbox, but now, I don't know what to think.

"It's where Storm takes his baths," Raihan explained. "He's a ground-type, so he doesn't like water that much."

Storm does, however, like sand—_especially_ if it's nice and hot. He takes his first step into the sandbox and plops right on in, soon rolling around to let the sand coat his skin. At one point, Raihan has to get out of the bath prop Storm right on his stomach, earning a somewhat annoyed hiss over the leftover droplets of water on Raihan's hands that come in contact with skin. Shortly after, Storm started digging into the sand, making sure to send a wave of it at Raihan.

"Hey!" Raihan spat out a few grains that had managed to enter his mouth. "Don't be rude!"

"He _really_ doesn't like water." I leaned my head against the edge of the tub as I watched Storm submerge himself in sand.

"He can't get up on his own if he flips over, so I have to help right back up," Raihan explained as he made his way back to the bath. "It's why he's not allowed go into the bath alone."

"I guess that makes sense." I think recall reading something about that in the Ultra Sun Pokédex…something about Sandile? Ehh? It's been a while, and like…I don't exactly have access to Bulbapedia anymore, so…whatever.

We got out of the bath after like ten minutes, Raihan quickly getting dressed as soon as he dried off in order to collect Storm from the sandbox. I took my time, if only for the fact that Leila had left out some of Raihan's clothes for me to wear, as the ones I had been wearing were currently in the wash, no thanks to Omar's saliva.

_Maybe I should've thought ahead before going along with Raihan's plans…_

It was Raihan's idea to spend the night at his house, and it happened in the spur of the moment, so all I really had were the clothes on my back. Mami stayed behind to pass on the message, which says a lot about how much she trusts Raihan. He was pretty happy about that.

Afterwards, Leila dropped by to ensure that our hair was dried properly. She took her time with my hair, though she spent a lot more time with Raihan, due to the differences in our hair textures, as well as the fact that he had his styled into dreads. It was an interesting experience (interesting in the fact that Raihan kept trying to convince his mother that he had in handled, but Leila wasn't having it) that left Raihan smelling like coconut once his mother was done.

"You smell nice." I couldn't help myself. It came out before I even had a chance to think twice about it.

"You smell nice too!" Thankfully, Raihan didn't mind. He smiled back at me before reaching out to pat me on the head.

"Pin-pinch!" And you smell like sand, Storm… It's honestly not that bad of a scent on you. "Piiiii!"

Aww, shucks—you're really too cute! "Come here!"

I didn't even care that Storm toppled me over with his weight. Even when Raihan used it as an opportunity to snap a picture. Afterwards, he took me by the hand and led me to his room, where he had a wall pinned with many of the photographs he had taken with his camera. It was a lot like in _Lilo and Stitch_, with Lilo's hobby, only Raihan was pickier with what he put on his wall.

"Every picture that doesn't end up on the wall goes into an album," Raihan explained as he set Storm on his bed. "The ones that make it here are the one's that I find really special—like this one right here!"

He pointed at the photograph he took of me and Mami. He was especially proud of it, from the way he had it framed.

"I had Mama pick out the frame for me." Raihan smiled widely, showing off his fang. "We need to take one together soon! I'll get Baba to help—you okay with that?"

"I'm good!" Just let me know when. Would rather be prepared this time…

_Gotta make it special, y'know?_

Too bad the picture that Jamal ended up taking was of us sleeping together on Raihan's bed. It happened without any warning, and for better or worse, Raihan actually liked what came out of it. He wouldn't stop laughing over how I ignored the number of pillows covering his bed in favor of his stomach. Raihan himself was splayed on his back, drool trickling down the side of his mouth. You'd think he'd care about that, but surprisingly not—it didn't change his opinion whatsoever. If anything, he immediately asked his father to have it developed.

"I'll show it to you when it's done!" Raihan said before handing the camera back to his father. "C'mon—it's almost time for breakfast!"

We didn't leave the house until sometime after breakfast. Raihan wanted me to stay a little longer before he took me back to the orphanage. Though, he didn't exactly take me there straight away—we took a small detour to the park. In his defense, it wouldn't be that long before the caretakers took the other children to the park for their daily outing.

That being said, something was up today. Something _very_ peculiar.

"What's up?" Raihan noticed almost immediately.

"I don't know." From what I can see, there was a group of children gathered around one of the park benches. Every few seconds or so, they would scatter, before quickly moving back in.

"Want ta check it out?" Raihan, you know me too well. "Keep your guard up, Storm!"

"Trapinch!" Storm nodded his head.

Once we were close enough, we could make out the things the children were saying to each other as they crowded the bench.

"Poke it."

"No—it'll just scream again!"

"It's gonna scream even if you don't."

"HAAA!" An earsplitting shriek echoed throughout the park, causing many people to visibly cringe—including Raihan, who almost dropped Storm, and most of the kids surrounding the bench. Needless to say, the children put some distance between them and the bench…but they still stuck around.

I had to pause for a moment, because there was something rather strange about that scream…like… I might've heard it before…

"Moooorgg!" And that was when a very, very familiar face popped out of the bushes, scaring the crap out of the kids. This pushed them into finally running away. "Grrrr."

It was a Morgrem…but not just any Morgrem—oh no. "Vlad?!"

The Morgrem blinked a few times, looking around the area before his gaze fell on me. A wide smile crossed his expression as he called out for me.

"You know him?" Raihan asked me.

"Yeah!" Of course I know him! "He's my brother!"

Who should be in the forest and not here—what the _fuck_ is he doing here?!

"Mormorr!" _Excuse_ **me**?!

Vlad crawled under the bench and pulled out a very angry hat.

"Teteteeeen!" Oh my fucking god—Bayonetta and Dante are gonna be so fucking pissed!

"Is something the matter?" Raihan, you sweet, innocent boy…

_You are so lucky to not to be fully involved in this family matter of mine._

"They're not supposed to be here!" I ran over to Vlad and put my hands on his shoulders. "How did you get here?!"

A small bead of sweat rolled down the side of Vlad's face. "Mor…greeeem?"

I turned my attention downwards to the Hatenna in his arms. She looked up at me, a smile soon forming on her face. "Hahaaaaa!"

_What do you mean you found me?!_

Vlad furrowed his brow. "Greeemmm morr."

I blinked a few times, letting out a startled shriek when the Hatenna jumped into my arms.

"Nnnaaaaa!" The Hatenna buried her face into my chest. She sniffed a few times as she pressed her body closer to mine. "Naahaaa!"

"What's she sayin'?" Raihan looked over my shoulder. "This your family too?"

"Yeah…" I felt my eyes tearing up. "She missed me…that's why she's here."

This little one found me missing one day, and even though Bayonetta and Dante told her that I would be back, that wasn't what she wanted to hear. So she left to go look for me. Vlad just followed after her, because it was his duty to keep an eye on his younger siblings, being the oldest.

And so here they are, after a few weeks of traveling. They got lost a few times, on account that they didn't know where the fuck I was. And it didn't help that this Hatenna in particular just knew how to escape from Vlad's hold, which kept him from taking her back home.

So rather than even try, Vlad decided to just indulge in his youngest sister's desire to find me. He didn't actually think she'd succeed, so…here we are.

"Naaaa!" The Hatenna stared up at me, looking especially proud of herself. "Naahaat!"

"Name?" Ohhh, right…I never gave you one.

It's not that I haven't tried—it's that this little one just turned down every name I suggested to her. Though, to be fair—she wasn't taking it as seriously as everyone else, as she wanted to play more instead of talk. But I guess she's changed her mind now, from how keenly she was staring at me.

"Hmmm…" Lemme think hard on this one. From the way your older sisters and your mother are so eager to beat the living shit out of anything that pisses them off… "How about Martha?"

The Hatenna tilted her head to the side. "Naaa?"

"Martha—that's your name," I reiterated slowly. "You okay with it?"

"Haahaaaa!" She nodded her head eagerly.

"Alright, Martha!" I brought her up to my face, letting her come close enough to rub her cheek affectionately against mine. "I'm sorry I left without saying anything… I didn't think it'd take this long to come back."

"Nanaha!" Oof, so no one told her, huh? Geez… "Hateeen!"

"Well…I'm here!" And so are you and Vlad! "Oh…this is Raihan!"

I gestured at Raihan, who lifted his hand to wave at Martha and Vlad. "Hello!"

There was a growl that rumbled in the back of Vlad's throat as he moved in closer to get a better look at Raihan.

"Uhhh…is he mad at me?" Raihan gulped when Vlad got right in his face. "H-Heyy…I'm your sister's friend."

Vlad tilted his head to the side, taking a moment to look over his shoulder at me. After seeing me nod my head, he turned back to Raihan and patted him on the head. "Morg."

"Is that good?" Raihan laughed nervously.

"It's good!" You passed—so that should be saying something.

"Trapinch!" Storm wriggled impatiently in Raihan's arms, almost snapping at Vlad when he patted him on the head.

Vlad blinked a few times before laughing out loud. "Morgreem!"

"Oh…Storm passed, too." Yeah, they're gonna get along quite nicely. Just give it some time—trust me on that. "Crap—we need to tell Mami about it!"

"Teeennnaa." Oh hush now, Martha. Who decided to go on a dangerous journey to find me? You did—now own up to the consequences from your second mother… As soon as we get to her.

"Morg!" Vlad held up his hand for a moment before running off.

"Did something happen?" Raihan asked me after about a minute.

"He said he had to go get something." What it is, I don't exactly know, but from the way he was rushing to get to it, it had to be something important.

Within the next few minutes, while we were waiting for Vlad to return, I spent the time introducing Martha to Raihan and Storm. It was a bit of a challenge, since Martha kept wanting to scream. She was not a fan of strangers, considering she spent the last few weeks having to avoid curious Trainers wanting to catch her or Vlad.

"Geez, you should've just waited!" I don't know what I'd do if I came back and found you…missing… "Ohhhh, I'm sorryyy—I didn't think it'd be like that for you."

For some of us in the forest, we had to deal with the fact that our friends could disappear at any time. Trainers come and go, and alongside that, so does life. Sometimes, Pokémon just choose to leave. And other times, tragedies happen…

Martha thought that she would never see me again and rather than wait for me, she searched for me to ease some of her worst fears. With how much things have changed since the night of the fire, it's easy to forget the trauma that it had caused for all of us…

…

Well…_almost_ forget.

Sometimes, I still have nightmares. But for the most part, it's easy for me to put it out of my head. Out of sight, out of mind, I guess… Though, that still doesn't stop me from asking about the forest every once in a while.

"Your family is pretty interesting!" Raihan's voice snapped me out of my thoughts.

"Ahh…well—you haven't really seen all of them just yet!" I smiled widely at Raihan when he asked what I meant by that. "You'll see!"

Since Raihan introduced me to his parents, I feel that it's only natural that I do the same as well. Of course, that'll have to wait until later, when I'm back home again with Opal. But for the time being, I guess I'll just keep this to myself…

_I wonder how the others will react to him…_

Vlad seems to like him just fine, so I'd say it won't really be that much of an issue. It all really depends on how willing Boop's mother is to allow someone like Raihan into the forest.

_Maybe I should show her a picture of him and Storm…_

Hmmm… "Hey, when you can… Can you give me a picture of yourself?"

"Huh? Oh sure." Raihan grinned. "Just give me a few days, okay?"

"Gotcha!" Things are certainly going smoothly… Such a shame that's all going to change when Mami finds out that her kids left the forest without telling anyone. Oh man, is she going to be disappointed in Vlad— "Huh?"

Speaking of Vlad, there he is, carrying what appears to be an…egg? Is that a fucking egg in his arms?

"Mormorg." Vlad was smiling widely as he dashed up to me. He gestured at the egg in his arms, cradling it lovingly as he rocked it gently from left to right.

"That's an egg." I can see that, Raihan. "Why does he have an egg?"

"I have no idea." According to Vlad, he just found it—like, that's it. No one gave it to him. He and Martha just stumbled across it one day, and being who he is, Vlad took it upon himself to take the egg along.

The egg was mainly purple in coloration, with white-colored spots speckled all over it. The shell was smooth, but hard, and it was quite warm to the touch. There were faint movements coming from inside, which Vlad was quite happy to feel. I don't have that much experience with Pokémon eggs, but I think it's safe to say that this one is pretty healthy.

"You know, Pokémon eggs are pretty weird." I'd say you're stating the obvious, Raihan, but I'll humor you.

"How so?" Might as well take the time to turn this into a learning experience.

"Some eggs hatch better when they're buried—like Storm's egg." Raihan grinned as he looked down at Storm. "He hatched out of the sand."

"Hmmm…I think I've seen some Morelull come out of the ground." I'm not too sure, but Boop might've been the same as them, from the way they've spawned out of the ground one day. "Is it a grass-type thing?"

"I think so?" Raihan tilted his head to the side. "Hmmm…it's hard to say, since there's still so much that we don't know about Pokémon eggs. Like…some Pokémon don't even hatch from eggs!"

Yeah, I remember what happened with Sylveon and her litter of Eevee. That was super fucking weird, but whatever—I honestly should've expected it, considering how different this reality is from the games I've played. That still didn't keep me from freaking out about it. Though, that's probably because Sylveon decided that my lap was the most comfortable place to take a nap, so when those babies inside of her started moving, I _felt_ that.

…

Oh right! "I saw a Polteageist spawn Sinistea using empty teacups!"

"Really?!" Raihan's eyes went wide. "That's so cool!"

And it's just part of many other ways that Pokémon can reproduce. This world is so strange, yet wonderful. Full of so many mysteries that remain unsolved, with so many opportunities to forge bonds with others.

I didn't come into this world willingly—that I know for sure. I left behind many people, with no way of ever knowing how they're getting by without me in their lives. My chest hurts each time I think about it, so I look beyond the life I had before. I turn to the new memories I've made with those that are close to me.

I have felt pain and sorrow…but also joy and love. These emotions mix together, creating this bittersweet sensation that resonates deeply within my chest. I have been hurt in ways that time can only heal. There is trauma caused by the fire that set my home ablaze, due to a Trainer's selfish desires. There are rejections that have left their impact on me, in ways that still frustrate me.

But as I stand here, with friends and family, I find myself thinking that this is fine. Because no matter what happens, I'm not alone.

_So it's okay._

It's okay to live in the moment, to just enjoy life as it happens. It's what I choose to do, so I smile at the uncertain future that's ahead of me. Because this is my life now.

_And I'm okay with that._

* * *

…

…

Eleanor has spent most of her life caring for children at the orphanage. It's the life she chose for herself, having grown up in an orphanage herself. She knows just how bad things can get, so she always tries her best to ensure that every child in her care lives a happy and healthy life.

Children come and go, either with new families or on a journey of their own, with a Pokémon at their side. Sometimes, they come back. Other times, they don't. Life goes on, and for the most part, there's not much Eleanor can do about it. What she can do, however, is ensure that the children under her care can leave this orphanage with enough happy memories to keep them moving forward.

It's why she feels so guilty over the harm that's been caused by her decision to give a volunteer a second chance. She considers herself fortunate that Opal had been there to point out the oversight she had made, but the damage has already been done. The most Eleanor can do, for now, is minimize its effects.

From the very beginning, Eleanor knew Brie wasn't like other children her age. She is an anomaly, yes, but Brie is still a child that deserves a safe place to live. In that sense, she is just like every other child in this orphanage.

It won't be that long before Opal finally comes to collect Brie for good—not as the Gym Leader of Ballonlea, but her grandmother. Until that day comes, Eleanor will continue watching over Brie, ensuring that she remains safe until the very end.

When Brie finally arrives at the orphanage, she is not alone. Besides her friend and his Trapinch, are two new Pokémon that Eleanor hasn't seen before. Brie introduces the Pokémon as her family, giving a name for each one. Despite the questions Eleanor wants to ask, she keeps them to herself as she excuses herself to make a call to Opal.

"One thing at a time," Eleanor tells herself. _"One thing at a time…"_

…

…

* * *

Surprisingly enough, Mami took well to Vlad and Martha's sudden appearance…though not without breaking a couple of vases. After all, a psychic Pokémon's worst enemy can be their own emotions, and Mami's emotions had flared up so suddenly, that she barely had time to react.

Thankfully, no one was hurt, though she did have Vlad clean up the mess with a broom while she took care of the egg he was carrying in his arms. She held it closely to her head, closing her eyes as she listened carefully for…something.

After about a minute, she lowered the egg from her face and let out a few chirps. It's a healthy egg, alright—just no confirmation on how long it'll take to hatch.

"Is that normal?" I turned to Raihan, since he seemed to know more about this than me.

"Uhhh, some eggs can take quite a long time to hatch." Raihan closed his eyes in thought as he removed his hand from Storm's mouth. "Others, not so much… It's really weird."

"Dee." Mami gently caressed the egg's shell.

The right time? "Wait…do eggs have a choice in when they decide to hatch?"

"Indeed." Mami nodded her head as she maneuvered the egg into her arms, cradling it lovingly before humming a pleasant tune.

"So…they're like seeds, then!" Raihan proclaimed.

"Seeds?" That's a weird way of…wait—you're onto something Raihan! "Seeds only sprout under the right conditions!"

I think that's what Mami meant by the right time!

"Haaa." Ohh, sorry Martha—you're probably confused about this. "Naaaha."

Martha moved around in my arms a few times before finding a comfortable position. She fell asleep right after that, not caring whatsoever that she was getting drool all over my sleeve.

"Love you too." I missed these moments so much… "You're not angry—are you?"

Mami gave a stern look that otherwise answered me question. Yes, she was mad—but mostly out of concern for what risks that Vlad and Martha had taken when they left the forest.

"Reminds me of Mama when I do something dangerous." Raihan patted me on the shoulder. "It'll be fine—it just means she cares."

Yeah, I guess you're right…why am I worried?! I'm not the one in trouble!

_But you __**are**__ the reason why they left._

Dammit brain, I don't need this guilt!

"Dee." Mami patted me on the head, reassuring me that it wasn't my fault.

"See?" Raihan smiled widely. "She cares!"

I mean, he's not wrong, but…whatever—I'll give him that one. "You wanna go…play?"

We can hang out in the indoor playground, since it should be pretty empty now that most of the children have gone outside.

"Sure, why not!" Raihan was up for it.

"Trap trap!" And so was Storm.

Martha was still asleep, so I don't expect her to be saying anything for the next hour or so… It all really depends on just how long she stays asleep. As for Vlad…

"Send him over when he's done." I'm guessing that there's another reason why Mami is having Vlad sweep up the broken glass, but whatever it is, she's keeping quiet for the time being.

It might have to do with Martha…or maybe even the egg. Hell, it's likely both, but I'm guessing the topic's somewhat serious if Mami doesn't feel like discussing it in front of me and the others.

I never do find out what it is that they talked about, but I don't think it matters much. Vlad and Martha are safe and sound, and Raihan manages to stick around just a little longer before finally heading back home with Storm.

Later in the evening, I had to deal with curious children trying to get close to Vlad and Martha. Thankfully, Ferdinand stepped in to keep them away, since Mami was too busy keeping watch on the egg in her arms. Don't know why she just doesn't hand it over to Vlad, but I guess she's trying to give him a break.

Thinking of it now… "How long were you carrying that egg?"

"Mooorg…" What do you mean you don't know?!

Holy fuck, no wonder Mami's keeping the egg away from him—he **does** need a break!

"You need to take care of yourself!" I know you're the oldest, but that doesn't mean you're not allowed to kick back every once in a while.

"Mor…" A small bead of sweat rolled down the side of Vlad's face. "Greeemmmm."

"It's fine—just be more careful, okay?" For what it's worth, I'm glad you're okay. I know Martha can be quite the handful, but I can't even begin to imagine how much more difficult it was while out of the forest… "You're quite the troublemaker, you know?"

"Naahaha!" Martha only laughed. She's far too happy to care that she's in trouble. I guess it was all worth it, since she managed to find me in the end.

"Wait for me next time." I don't wanna deal with this again. It's a lot more stressful than it was initially, now that it's _finally_ sinking in.

"Tennna." Alright, you little brat—I'll take you with me, then! Will that make you happy? "Hahaaa!"

I huffed out a laugh. "I guess you're stuck with me, huh?"

Martha only let out a moderately loud shriek as her response.

…

Opal showed up the next day, somewhat surprised to see Vlad and Martha. Though, I think she was more surprised to see the egg in Mami's arms.

"Where did you get that?" she asked.

"Vlad just found it," I explained. "Why?"

"No reason—just curious." Opal sighed as she tugged down on her hat. "Your family is full of surprises."

"Blame Martha!" I held Martha up in the air. "She's the one who looked for me."

"Haha!" And Martha is still so damn proud of herself for finding me.

"Is there any way I can keep her on me?" I don't want to leave her alone again, if she's just going to follow after me.

"Hmm…I may be able to provide you a Poké Ball," Opal replied, a smile soon forming on her lips. "Is there any preference?"

"Uhhh…" I lowered Martha to get a good look at her. Just what would be good for her…

"I'd recommend a Luxury Ball to ease any troubles she might have." Opal's gaze shifted over to the egg in Mami's arms. "We should probably get an egg case for that…"

"Whatever works best!" I'm still new to this, so I'm leaving it up for Opal to decide. She knows a lot more than I do, though that doesn't stop her from asking me for my input.

In the end, she decided to take me to the nearest Poké Mart, which was located inside of a Pokémon Center.

_Glad to see that hasn't changed._

Of course, it could be a regional thing, since _Let's Go_ kept it separate…

_I miss Shuten._

Oh well, at least I have Martha, here, with Mami and Vlad…and whatever is going to come out of that egg— "Is this egg mine?"

"It might as well be, since it was your brother who found it." Huh, I guess that makes sense… "You should also pick out a Poké Ball for the egg, so you have it ready for when it hatches."

"Okaayyy!" I guess we'll have another addition to our family soon…or however long it takes for this egg to hatch. There's no rush, though I at least hope it doesn't take too long.

_I wonder what's going to come out…_

Only time will tell, and this egg isn't keen on coming out just yet. The days go on, and the egg remains relatively still, save for the faint movements that sometimes come from within. The egg now resides in a case that kept it both safe and warm, allowing Vlad and Mami the freedom to move around without having to carry the egg in their arms.

Martha has since calmed down considerably, having been allowed to pick out a Poké Ball before bopping her head against the button to let it catch her. And that's how I now have my very first Pokémon—it's a Hatenna, and…I don't know how I should feel about this.

I'm like so used to getting a Starter Pokémon, so it's a little jarring to start out with something else. Oh well… I guess if I had to start out with someone, I'm glad it's Martha.

"Haahaa!" And Martha's just as happy, too, seeing as there's no other way for her to get left behind now.

As for Vlad, he's a little conflicted, but mostly because I couldn't exactly catch him—the Poké Ball refused to work on him. According to Opal, it's because he's too strong for me to catch. Galar has this defense mechanism in its Poké Balls to prevent inexperienced Trainers from catching Pokémon that are far too strong for them to handle. I have to start collecting Gym Badges if I want to catch Vlad, which…requires me to get an endorsement letter so I can participate in the Gym Challenge.

_Geez, Galar doesn't fuck around here._

This region really does take Gym battles seriously, which is why Opal told me ahead of time that I'll have to prove to her that I have what it takes if I want her to endorse me.

When I brought this up to Raihan, he flipped.

"You have any idea how hard it is to get endorsed?!" No…I actually don't—please elaborate. "For some people, it takes them years! If you do it right, you'll be able to go at it once you turn ten!"

"Ohh…" That sounds reasonable…wait— "What about you?"

Raihan rubbed his nose. "I have to find someone first, which…you know."

"I see." Wow… "Want me to ask Opal?"

"Hmmm…we'll see!" Raihan flashed me a toothy smile. "Want ta be rivals?"

"Uh…will we stay friends?" I don't want this go downhill if we do become rivals.

"Of course we will!" Raihan exclaimed. "From now, till the very end, we'll always be friends! Nothing will change that—not even if we become rivals."

"If that's the case…then sure!" I'm up for it, although…I don't think we should have Martha and Storm fight each other anytime soon—if only for the fact that Vlad _will_ step in, and that's the last thing I want him doing.

Speaking of Martha and Storm, they're currently napping together, with Vlad keeping a close eye on them. Mami is back at the orphanage, helping out with the children and keeping a close eye on that egg.

"Anyways, I heard you're leaving tomorrow…" Raihan frowned.

"Oh…" I almost forgot about that. "I'll visit you!"

"I know, I just…don't want to wait." Raihan scratched the back of his head. "It's weird, but…you're the only kid who wants to hang out with me. Before you came along, I was just that weird camera kid."

"Pfft." I couldn't help but laugh at that.

"I'm being serious!" I know, it's just…that's a _really_ bad insult to call anyone.

"At least it's better than being called a liar." Look on the bright side, Raihan. We're not alone anymore, so hey—what does it matter what people call us now?

"Hmm…I guess you're right." There's that smile again! "Make sure to visit me often!"

"I will!" I'll even force myself to get past my fear of falling so I can take the Corviknight Taxi without any issues.

_Man, that's gonna suck…_

But at least it'll be worth it so I can hang out with Raihan again… "Ohh! Why don't you visit me, too?"

"Ohh, I need to ask Baba and Mama first!" Oh man, I can't wait to introduce you to everyone else… "I'll let you know when I can, okay?"

"Yeah!" I should definitely tell Opal about this. "So…you wanna hang out a little longer?"

"Yeah…" It's starting to get late, but Raihan and I weren't so keen on going our separate ways just yet. "Hey…I got you something."

"Hmm?" What have you been keeping from me this entire time?

"Close your eyes!" Raihan grinned widely before moving closer to me. "C'mon—no peeking!"

"Alright!" I closed my eyes, letting Raihan do whatever he wanted…which was taking off my sunglasses. "What're you doing?"

"You'll see!" was all Raihan told me.

"It better not be anything weird!" There will be hell to pay in the pettiest of ways!

"It's not!" Raihan reassured me as something touched the bridge of my nose. "Now open them!"

And so I did. "Huh…is this what you got me?"

"Yeah!" It was another pair of sunglasses, only…different? I can't exactly say, because I can't see them, so Raihan quickly fixes the problem by taking a picture of me. "You're always complaining about how ugly your sunglasses are…so I decided to get you a better pair! You like them?"

I didn't give an answer at first, seeing as I was too busy examining the new pair of sunglasses on my face. They honestly weren't that bad, though…something about them seemed _familiar_. The lenses were oval in shape and tilted upwards at the corners, with two pink circles dotting the area above each lens. The color of the frames started off blue around the lenses, with a pink and white gradient on the arms.

It took me almost a minute to figure it out, and when I did, I couldn't help but laugh.

_They look exactly like Bayonetta's eyes!_

"I thought you might like them since you have a Hatenna, and Hatenna eventually become Hatterene, so…" Raihan began. "If you don't like them, I can get you another pair—"

"Never—I love these!" Holy crap, I can't wait to show Bayonetta these bad boys! "Thank you so much!"

"No problem!" Raihan rubbed the back of his head. "They're called Hatterene's if you ever want another pair—funny name, huh?"

"Pfft, yeah." I was expecting something more original, but I guess they're like cat eyes.

It was around an hour later when we finally went our separate ways. Raihan walked with me to the orphanage, where Eleanor was waiting for me, somewhat concerned over how late I stayed out. She didn't say anything though, but that's probably because I'll be leaving tomorrow, meaning that Raihan won't be seeing me for a few days, or however long it takes before I can visit him again.

"Do you need a moment?" she asked us.

"We're fine!" Raihan and I immediately blurted out, causing Martha to let out a loud shriek.

"Morgg…" Sorry, Vlad!

"Trap…" You too, Storm…

"It's okay, you two—I'm certain you'll see each other again very soon." Eleanor, you sweet, beautiful lady—I wish nothing bad ever happens to you, because you are an absolute gem. "Now come along, Brie—Mami is waiting for you."

"Bye Raihan!" I threw my arms around him in an embrace, squeezing him tightly as I tried to make the most of whatever time we had left together.

"I'm glad I met you!" Raihan tells me, his voice somewhat choked up as he squeezed me just as tightly.

That was enough to get me to start crying. And so Raihan and I officially went our separate ways, about half an hour later after Eleanor did her best to cheer us up. I'm sure, in the near future, we'll both look back on this moment and laugh about it. For now, it was just something that made us both emotional, being as young as we are.

* * *

…

…

It's early in the morning when Opal arrives at the orphanage to collect Brie and the others. She is as patient as ever as she waits for Brie to get gather her belongings. That's when Brie chooses to show off the new sunglasses she received from her friend. And so Opal laughs, not at all surprised to see Brie owning a pair of Hatterene's.

"I suspected that's what you would end up with on your own." Opal had considered getting Brie a pair, but it seems that she no longer has to—not when Raihan beat her to the punch. "Raihan certainly has an eye for these things, though I suppose that's what makes him quite the photographer."

"Can he come and visit us?" Brie immediately asks her.

"Of course." Opal reaches down to ruffle her hair. "Just make sure to plan ahead this time."

"I will!" Brie chirps.

"Now let's get going—Tom is waiting for us." It's been a while since Brie had last seen Tom, so it'd be nice for the two to talk again.

"Okay!" Brie lifts Martha off the floor, earning a semi-loud shriek from her. "I know—I'm sorry, but you'll have to put up with it if you don't wanna go into your Poké Ball."

"Nahhaa…" Martha only squirms in Brie's arms.

"Maybe it would be a better idea to return Martha to her Poké Ball." It's for her sake, as well as everyone else's, because Opal can tell that this ride is going to be just as rough as the first time. The last thing any of them needs is a distressed Hatenna causing trouble with her psychic abilities.

"Morg…" Vlad stays by Mami's side, cradling the egg case in his arms.

"Dee." Mami pats Vlad on the head, reassuring him as he watches Martha disappear into the Luxury Ball that Brie taps against her head.

"She'll be let out as soon as we arrive to our destination." Which shouldn't take them too long, considering the distance between Ballonlea and Hammerlocke. "Come along now! The faster we leave, the sooner we'll arrive."

It takes them less than an hour to arrive at Ballonlea. As soon Tom opens the door, Brie rushes out of the carriage. She makes her way towards the Glimwood Tangle, Mami and Vlad following right after her.

"Should we stop her?" Tom asks Opal.

Opal only smiles as she shakes her head. "Let's not. It wouldn't be right to interrupt a family reunion."

"Right!" Tom laughs. "So how does it feel to finally be a grandmother?"

"It feels…nice." For the most part, Opal feels content…because it's finally over. She and Brie can finally just enjoy the rest of their days without any interruptions from any reporters and the like. "Would you mind if I ask you to unload for us?"

"Not a problem!" Tom grins. "You can go after her if you want—I can tell you're eager to leave."

"Am I that obvious?" Opal tugs down on her hat.

"Hmm…it's more that I can understand, being a parent myself," Tom explains. "It's that familial connection that just tugs at you."

"I see." Opal laughs. "Well, I'll be on my way."

…

…

* * *

I ran deeper and deeper into the forest, kicking off my boots as I did. I just wanted to feel the ground beneath my bare feet once more, that familiar sensation that reminded me that I was home again. The forest was as vibrant as I last remembered it being, with many of the Pokémon greeting me upon realizing who I was after being away for almost two months.

"Hi Acacia!" I laughed out loud when I caught sight of Acacia, who immediately followed after me, chirping out a few notes that called out to her brother.

It took some time, but soon Clover came out of his resting spot. He took off into the air, flying right towards me before landing right on top of my head.

"Spriiii!" I missed you too! It's been a while!

"Whimsiii!" Honey!

Honey latched onto my back, refusing to let go of me as I ran further into the forest. I jumped over a couple of Eevee, their Sylveon mother soon letting out a cry that called out for me. She seemed just as happy as everyone else to see me again.

It feels nice to be back, in such a familiar place that feels so much like home… But it's not home—not yet. There are still others that I need to see. I just…need to find them.

Further and further in, the lighting grows dimmer. Soon, only the glow of the mushrooms can be seen, providing a familiar path that can only be taken by those who know the way. It didn't take me long after that to find who it was that I was searching for.

"Grimmm!" Dante is the first of my family to greet me, rushing over to me as he lifted me off the ground in strong, yet gentle embrace. He spun me around a few times, the Impidimp soon surrounding us as they chittered amongst each other.

"Reeeemmmm!" Vibe Check jumps out of the bushes, about ready to beat the crap out of me for showing such strong emotions, only to stop upon noticing that it was just me and not anyone else. She stared at me for a good minute, tears soon falling from her face as she cried loudly.

Her cries attracted the attention of the rest of her sisters, who all reacted quite differently the instant that they saw me. And just like that, they too gathered around Dante and I. Clover hopped off my head, landing right on top of Dante's as he flapped his wings a few times, scattering a few feathers into the air for the Impidimp to collect.

"Dee." Mami arrived not long after, standing still as a group of Impidimp and Hatenna surrounded her. "Deedee?"

She was so confused, not knowing what to make of them. It started with one Hatenna, followed by another, until everyone was just welcoming her back. She stayed still, her body beginning to shake uncontrollably. Soon, she started crying, the tears just coming no matter how many times she wiped them away.

Vlad showed up shortly after, earning a loud scolding from Dante as he called his oldest child over. Never one to disobey his own father, Vlad did as he was told, likely expecting the worst…but Dante wasn't like that. That's not the type of parent he was.

Instead, Dante lifted Vlad off the ground, pulling him into the hug with me. He held us closely, nuzzling us affectionately. He paused momentarily when he caught sight of the egg case that Vlad had in his arms.

"Grimmm?" Dante's eyes widened.

"Morgremmm…" Vlad averted his gaze, his tone uncomfortably soft.

So that's why he was so attached to it…

_It's just like me…_

"Snaaa!" Dante proceeded to nuzzle us again, if only to cheer us up.

Helping Dante out, was Boop, who came seemingly out of nowhere as they appeared right on his shoulder. They smiled at me and Vlad, soon throwing a flower crown on my head.

"Tuuuuuump!" Boop cried out, clapping their hands right after. "Phannnnnn!"

Almost everyone was here, now…everyone except her.

"Haaaa." And there she was—looking as annoyed as ever with the racket she had to endure. Bayonetta made her way over to us, looking just as surprised as everyone else to see me and Vlad. "Reeeennn?"

For first time in such a long while, I saw a different side to Bayonetta. She looked around, calling out to Martha, as she had been absent from this reunion of ours. I reached into my pocket and pulled out Martha's Poké Ball, wanting to fix this as soon as possible. I released her from the confines of the Luxury Ball, aiming it right next to where Bayonetta was standing.

"Haaaaa!" Martha let out a loud shriek, soon recoiling violently when she found herself standing so close to her mother.

Bayonetta looked down at her daughter, her eyes narrowing into slits as she gave Martha a light scolding. Martha cowered to the ground, not knowing how to feel about it at first, before quickly changing her tune as she looked up.

"Nahat!" Martha shrieked loudly, standing her ground as she stared at her mother. Even with the mistakes she made, Martha regretted nothing. If given the chance, she'd do it all again…because that's how much I mattered to her.

Bayonetta's expression stayed the same, her gaze still focused on Martha who remained strong, despite how much her body was shaking. After a few moments, Bayonetta's hand reached down to lift Martha off the ground. She brought Martha close to her face, a smile soon forming on her lips as she pressed her forehead against her daughter's. She was mad, yes…but she was also relieved.

"I'm sorry I caught her without your permission…" I found myself apologizing to Bayonetta when she turned her attention to me.

Bayonetta's eyes narrowed into slits again as she set Martha on the ground. Slowly, she made her way over to me and the others, her face getting right in front of mine.

"H-Hello…" I could feel a lump forming in the back of my throat. "I missed you too."

"Haaa…" Bayonetta's tone was a lot softer now, though her expression remained unchanged.

"Look what I'm wearing!" I tapped at the sunglasses on my face. "They look like your eyes!"

"Teeereeee?" Bayonetta's expression shifted into one of confusion as her hand reached out to tap on my sunglasses.

"Just like you!" The tears slid down my cheeks as I removed the sunglasses off my face, letting Bayonetta get a good look at my face. "Just like…you…"

"Hhhhhhh…" Bit by bit, Bayonetta's eyes began to glisten with unshed tears. "Hhhhaaaaa…"

Her body trembled, the tears soon splashing down her face as she started bawling loudly. Without any care for her appearance, she latched onto me with her tiny body, her face rubbing against mine as she sobbed loudly. Dante did his best to move the strands of hair that had gotten stuck to her face, giving her head a few affectionate pats as she continued to cry.

"Haaaaaaahaaaaaaa!" She was as loud as can be, in ways that caught everyone else by surprise.

No one said anything—not even Martha, who was too busy trying to cheer up her older sister, Vibe Check. Everyone was just so happy be together again.

From a tree branch, Acacia let her sweet scent fill the air, letting it soothe us as we all let our emotions run wild. Because this is what we did as a family, apparently.

It's funny, but…I'm okay with this.

_This is fine._

This is definitely fine.

_Because I love my family._

And they love me.

…

…

…

* * *

A/N Holy crap, we're at the end of arc one now, since we're back home again! And holy fucking hell, over 13K+ WORDS WRITTEN! AHHHHHH!

I'm really fucking proud of this chapter, especially considering the things that have happened these past few weeks. Anyone following my tumblr should know that one of my dogs died last week, and it really hit me hard because of how sudden it happened. And the timing around that really sucked, because I just got off work on the 31st of January. So here I am, having a somewhat optimistic view of my future career options, now that I have experience as a lab technician…only for one of my dogs to…yeah…

Anyways, I'm doing a lot better now, thanks to my friends, and especially my lovely girlfriend, **Lyrecho** (I LOVE YOU SO MUCH). I'm working at my brother's shop again, with his work ex-wife and while not the ideal workplace (retail sucks ass), it DOES have Wi-Fi and the shop recently moved locations, so the place is a lot bigger now, making a lot easier to move around.

MOVING ON, I HOPE YOU GUYS ENJOYED THIS MASSIVE CHAPTER, because a lot fucking happened, okay? First off, many thanks to **Neon Navi** for being the gave us the Hatterene's—the sunglasses that resembles a Hatterene's eyes. It ended up playing a huge role in the final moments of this chapter, so yeah!

Also, Brie also caught her first Pokémon and it was the baby Hatenna that always screams at her! Say hello to Martha, cuz she's already proved that she's here to stay! Alongside Martha, Vlad found a random Pokémon egg! And for those confused about the like "Just like me", Brie was referring to how the egg had been abandoned like her…because that's what happened.

Speaking of eggs, hope you like my worldbuilding because I'm sticking to it! And if you wanna know why it works the way it does? Well, too bad—because that's the actual mystery going on in my worldbuilding, because the games are like "we don't see these Pokémon laying eggs" and whatnot. And like, we've since ditched most game mechanics, so just go along with it, yeah?

By the by, I didn't ignore the fact that Trapinch weighs like thirty-three pounds, because here in the Pokémon world, the minimum most people can lift is a lot higher than most. A child lifting a Trapinch? Absolutely normal, and definitely expected if that Pokémon belongs to them…which is why you can expect Raihan to only get stronger from here on out! By the by, he'll be back—it's just that Brie finally got home.

Anyways, let's get these shout-outs out of the way, because as usual, I got two fucking massive reviews, so these two particular readers deserve more than just an honorable mention!

Reviewer #60: **Blaze2121**

Reviewer #66: **ASleepySloth**

Reviewer #67: **OPFan37**

Reviewer #69: **RoseRavenWillow** **RandomFangirl**

Reviewer #70: **VileG**

Reviewer #74: **Heitor**

Honorable mentions: **Aster's Descendants** (only time will tell, so we'll see!), **kirara . noa1**, **Lightsbane1905**, **guisniperman**, **Maia the Writer**, **Vangran**

Thank you guys so much for taking the time to review! It really does help keep me motivated, because I always crave that validation and certainly did help me through a rather rough week, so…just keep it up, yeah?

So until next time, everyone! KD out! XD


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